Radiological Monitoring of Borehole in Dei-Dei, Abuja, North Central Nigeria

Abstract

Inhabitants in Dei-Dei area of Abuja consume groundwater that recharges from different lithologic units of subsurface structures due to inadequate public water supply.The water is consumed untreated and during drilling, it cuts across so many rock formations, to extents constitute radioactive elements which are to be evaluated. Vertical Electric Sounding and Shuttle Radar Topography mission was used to determine the structure of electric conductivity and map lineaments.Hydrogeologically motivated borehole with geophysical log data was drilled. Activity concentrations were analysed using high resolution co-axial HPGe gamma spectrometer system. The activity concentrations ranges from 45± 2 to 98 ± 6 Bq kg^-1 for ²³²Th, 18 ± 2 to 37 ± 4 Bq kg^-1 for ²³⁸U and 236 ± 32 Bq kg^-1 to 1195±151 Bq kg^-1 for ⁴⁰K. Structurally, fractured interconnectivity attributed to low levels in some layers. Activity levels are within the limits, requires research within groundwater activity levels and rock geochemistry.