Spatial Distribution of Gamma Dose Rates in the Marine Environment of Unumherin Community in Niger Delta, South-South, Nigeria

Abstract

Abstract This work investigates the radioactivity distribution of coastal polluted areas of Unumherin Community in Niger Delta, Nigeria. The measurement of the outdoor dose rate of the polluted coastlines was carried out using calibrated hand-held gamma detector, (RS-125 Gamma-Spec). The spatial distribution of gamma dose rate indicates the hotspot at location 4 with a value of 100 nGy/h. Maximum and minimum values of the absorbed dose-rate was observed in location 4 with the value of 100 nGyh −1 and location 15 with the value of 2 nGyh −1, respectively. This is an indicative that the risk of ionizing radiation exposures is much higher for location 4 than other locations. This higher value of 100 nGyh −1 is far more than the recommended limit of 59.00 and 84.00 nGyh −1 provided by UNSCEAR, 2000. The community requires much more radiological monitoring for the safety of human and ecosystem.