Evaluation of Natural Radioactivity Levels in Drinking Water Sources: A Case Study from Gambella Town, Ethiopia
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Abstract
Environmental materials containing radioactive elements derived from natural sources are referred to as naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM). These substances are widely distributed and can be found in the world's ocean, atmosphere, and crust. Using high-purity germanium (HPGe) gamma spectroscopy, this study evaluated the specific activity concentrations of three naturally occurring radionuclides: 40K, 232Th, and 238U, in five drinking water samples. These materials' characteristics for radiation danger were also computed. In the water samples, the mean specific activity concentrations of 238U, 232Th, and 40K were determined to be 11.3990.276 Bq L-1, 17.2830.759 BqL-1, and 123.630 BqL-1, respectively. Within safe global limits, the average radium equivalent activity and absorbed dose were 43.759 BqL-1 and 21.24 BqL-1, respectively. The mean values of the gamma index, internal hazard index, external hazard index, and yearly effective dose equivalent were 0.165, 0.122, 0.149, and 0.103, respectively, all below the global safety criteria. As a result, the town of Glabella’s water resources are safe and do not provide any health hazards to the locals.
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Cheruashebir, N., Bikila Merga Derese, & Belay Sitotaw Goshu. (2024). Evaluation of Natural Radioactivity Levels in Drinking Water Sources: A Case Study from Gambella Town, Ethiopia. SIASAT, 9(4), 206-217. https://doi.org/10.33258/siasat.v9i4.186
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References
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ABDULHAMEED, N., M.H. NASSIR, N.H. AMEEN, M.M. HUSSIEN, Assessment of natural radioactivity levels and radiological hazards for Tigris River Basin. Journal of Madenat Alelem College, 2019, 11(2), 16-22.
AL-MASHHADANI, A.M., Assessment of radioactivity and associated hazards in drinking water in Al-Sadar city, Baghdad, International Journal of Geology, Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, 2014, 2(4), 28-33.
ASHEBIR, N.C., B.G. GOSHU, E. MENGISTU, Assessment of natural radioactivity in soil samples and tea leaves at Gumero tea farm, Ethiopia, Romanian J. Biophys., 2022, 32(2), 103–119.
BANGOTRA P., M. SHARMA, R. MEHRA, R. JAKHU, A. SINGH, A.S. GAUTAM, S. GAUTAM, A systematic study of uranium retention in human organs and quantification of radiological and chemical doses from uranium ingestion. Environ Technol Innov., 2021, 21(12):101-360
ELISABET YILKAL, F. ZEWGE, B.S. CHANDRAVANSH, Assessment of the Quality of Bottled Water Marketed in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Bulletin of the Chemical Society of Ethiopia, 2019, 33(1), 21-41.
EL-ZAYAT, M. H., M. EL-ZOHRY, The natural background activity concentration of (226Ra, 232Th, and 40K) and the annual effective dose from different water sources consumption in phosphate-polluted areas. Egyptian Journal of Physics, 2020, 48(1), 19-26.
GOSHU, B.S., E. ABASA, M. WOLDEAMANUEL, Assessment of the natural radioactivity of bottled drinking water produced in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia, ROMANIAN J. BIOPHYS., 2023, 33(3), 89–103, BUCHAREST, https://www.doi.org/10.59277/RJB.2023.3.01
HE, R., S. LIAW, M. ZHOU, X.D. ZHOU, H. LUO, Environmental evaluation of radioactivity levels and associated radiation hazards in groundwater around the WIPP site. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 2022, 242, 113849. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.113849
KABADAYI, O., H. GÜMÜŞ, Natural activity concentrations in bottled drinking water and consequent doses, Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 2012, 150(4), 532–535.
KHALIFA, N., Natural Radioactivity of Ground and Drinking Water in Some Areas of Upper Egypt, Turkish Journal of Engineering and Environmental Science, 2004, 28, 345–354.
MAJED, N. A., M.H. NASSIR, N.H. AMEEN, M.M. HUSSIEN, Assessment of Natural Radioactivity Levels and Radiological Hazards for Tigris River Basin. Journal of Mesopotamian Academic Union of Chemists (JMAUC), 2019, 11(2), 16-22.
MUSSA, Y., E. MENGISTU, D. AYALEW, B. SITOTAW, Assessment of natural radioactivity levels and radiation hazard in ancient Harar city, Jugal, soil, Ethiopia. Romanian Journal of Biophysics, 2021, 31(2), 89-101.
POURIMANI, R., Z. NEMATI, Measurement of radionuclide concentration in some water resources in Markazi Province, Iran. Iranian Journal of Medical Physics, 2016, 13(1), 49-57.
SINGH, P., P.C. SETHY, A.K. SINGH, S. SINGHAL, A.K. MAURYA, S.R. GIRI, Geochemistry and U–Pb zircon geochronology of the Jutogh thrust sheet, Himachal Pradesh, NW-Himalaya: Implications to the petrogenesis and regional tectonic setting, Geological Journal, 2023, 58(1), 131-149.
TCHOKOSSA, P., J. OLOMO, F. BALOGUN, Assessment of radionuclide concentrations and absorbed dose from consumption of community water supplies in oil and gas producing areas in Delta State, Nigeria., World Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 2011, 1(3), 77-86. doi: 10.4236/wjnst.2011.13012.
United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR). Sources and Effects of Ionizing Radiation: United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) 2000 Report to the General Assembly, with Scientific Annexes. United Nations Publications.
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO). Guidelines for Drinking-Water Quality. 4th ed. Geneva: WHO, 2011.
YADAV, J., B. KHYALIA, N. KUMAR, N. KHATI, R.K. SINGH, V. KUMAR, M. THAKUR, Assessment of natural radioactivity in soil and water in the upper Himalayas region along the Manali–Leh highway, India. J Radioanal Nucl Chem, 2024, 333, 3075–3086. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-023-09196-6.
YADAV, J., B. KHYALIA, N. KUMAR, N. KUMAR, R. SHARMA, Assessment of natural radioactivity in soil and water in the upper Himalayas region along the Manali–Leh highway, India. J Radioanal Nucl Chem, 2024, 333, 3075–3086, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-023-09196-6