Estimation of committed effective dose and potential health detriments due to ingestion of Okerenkoko community drinking water, Delta State, Nigeria

Abstract

The released of contaminated hydrocarbon waste into the environment has led to radiological contamination of groundwater in many regions. This research estimates the committed effective dose and potential cancer risk of the general public within Okerekoko Community, Delta State, Nigeria. Sodium iodide (Nal (Tl)) detector was used to analyze thirty groundwater samples collected to ascertain the presences of radionuclides in the drinking water. The radionuclides obtained results are 264.85±19.27 BqL^-1, 16.22±4.18 BqL^-1 and 4.22±1.11 BqL^-1 for 40K, 238U and 232Th respectively. The mean computed results of the total annual effective dose equivalent (TAEDE) of different age bracket are 22.42 mSvy-1, 7.88 mSvy^-1, 4.36 mSvy^-1, 6.20 mSvy-1, 16.45 mSvy-1 and 2.44 mSvy^-1 respectively for 0 to1yr, 1 to 2yrs, 2 to 7yrs, 7 to 12yrs, 12 to 17yrs and >17yrs. CED of adult is 12.22 mSvy-1 while 6.72, 46.98, 0.049 and 0.34 are the computed results for cancer risks, lifetime cancer risks, hereditary effects and lifetime hereditary effects respectively. The radionuclides results and the health detriment results exceeded world standard limit. However, this research work does not imply instantaneous risk to health of the residents, but protective measures must be put in place to circumvent future health detriment.