This is the first time that a study applies the gamma ray spectroscopy using a high purity germanium to evaluate the terrestrial gamma radiation level by detector in selected regions of Mali. The results reveal that the activity concentrations of naturally occurring 226Ra, 232Th and 40K radionuclides ranges between respectively 17.26 ± 1.81 and 105.43 ± 10.36; 20.41 ± 2.52 and 180.85 ± 19.69; 41.33 ± 8.26 and 627.63 ± 85.62 Bq⋅kg−1. The measures of radium equivalent activity (Raeq), absorbed dose rates (ADR), annual effective dose rate (AEDR), external hazard index (Hex), internal hazard index (Hin) and excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) were evaluated. Some of the obtained values exceed the recommended safe levels. Further studies are necessary to constitute a baseline reference data about the terrestrial radiation in Mali.
References
[1]
UNSCEAR (2000) Sources and Effects of Ionizing Radiation. United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, United Nations Publication, New York.
[2]
Traore, I., Nachab, A., Ba, A., Nourreddine, A. and Togo, V. (2013) Assessment of Activity and Effective Dose Rate of 222Rn in Several Dwellings in Bamako, Mali. Radioprotection, 2, 277-284.
[3]
Yeboah, J., Boadu, M. and Darko, E.O. (2001) Natural Radioactivity in Soils and Rocks within the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 249, 629-632. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1013262702436
[4]
Murty, V.R.K. and Karunakara, N. (2008) Natural Radioactivity in the Soil Samples of Botswana. Radiation Measurements, 43, 1541-1545. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radmeas.2008.10.004
[5]
Agbalagba, E.O. and Onoja, R.A. (2011) Evaluation of Natural Radioactivity in Soil, Sediment and Water Samples of Niger Delta (Biseni) Flood Plain Lakes, Nigeria. Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 102, 667-671. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2011.03.002
[6]
Olufunmbi, A., Akinjide, O., Moromoke, O. and Oluwafunmito, O. (2016) The Concentration of Natural Radionuclides in Soil Samples from the Practical Year Agricultural Farmland, University of Ibadan. Journal of Applied Physics, 8, 60-68.
[7]
Kassi, B., Boukhair, A., Azkour, K., Fahad, M., Benjelloun, M. and Nourreddine, A.-M. (2018) Assessment of Exposure Due to Technologically Enhanced Natural Radioactivity in Various Samples of Moroccan Building Materials. World Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 8, 176-189. https://doi.org/10.4236/wjnst.2018.84015
[8]
Engola, L.N., et al. (2018) Air Absorbed Dose Rate Measurements and External Dose Assessment by Car-Borne Survey in the Gold Mining Areas of Betare-Oya, Eastern-Cameroon. Japanese Journal of Health Physics, 53, 5-11.
[9]
Canberra, Genie (2000) Version 3.2.1. Canberra Industries, Inc.
[10]
Beretka, J. and Mathew, P.J. (1985) Natural Radioactivity of Australian Building Materials, Industrial Wastes and By-Products. Health Physics, 48, 87-95. https://doi.org/10.1097/00004032-198501000-00007
[11]
Assie, A., Oudah, A.-J.A., Jassim, A.S. and Al-Mashhadani A.H. (2016) Determination of Natural Radioactivity by Gamma Spectroscopy in Balad Soil, Iraq. Pelagia Research Library. Advances in Applied Science Research, 7, 35-41.
[12]
Cengiz, G.B. and çaglar, A. (2017) Evaluation of Natural Radioactivity Levels and Radiological Hazards in Soil Samples of Sarikamiş Province, Kars, Turkey. Radiation Science and Technology, 3, 68-73.
[13]
Taskin, H., Karavus, M., Ayb, P., Topuzoglu, A., Hidiroglu, S. and Karahan, G. (2009) Radionuclide Concentrations in Soil and Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk Due to Gamma Radioactivity in Kirklareli, Turkey. Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 100, 49-53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2008.10.012
[14]
International Commission on Radiological Protection (1990) Recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection. Annals of the ICRP, 21, 1-3.
[15]
Ring, R. and Freeman, P. (2014) Development of the Falea Polymetallic Uranium Project, Mali. IAEA-CN-261.
[16]
Jerome, M.R., Issoumaila, M.S. and Robert, M.B. (2018) Falea: An Unconformity-Type Polymetallic Deposit, Mali, West Africa. International Symposium on Uranium Raw Material for the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Exploration, Mining, Production, Supply and Demand, Economics and Environmental Issues, IAEA-CN-261.