Measurement of Background Gamma Radiation Levels at Two Tertiary Institutions in Minna, Nigeria

Abstract

An in-situ measurement of the background radiation level was carried out at the vicinity of three campuses of two major tertiary institutions in Minna. A portable Geiger-Mueller tube-based environmental radiation dosimeter was used for the measurement. A total of 34 point was surveyed across the three institutions for background environmental radiation. The dose rate range obtained are: at the Niger State College of Education Minna (NCM), the dose rate varies from 0.125 μSv/hr to 0.171μSv/hr; at the Federal University of Technology Bosso Campus (FUTB) it wass between 0.152 μSv/hr and 0.184 μSv/hr; and at the Federal University of Technology Gidan- Kwano campus FUTG it was between 0.137 μSv/hr and 0.184 μSv/hr. In all the 34 points surveyed the mean dose rate was 0.154 μSv/hr with a standard deviation of 0.017 μSv/hr. Generally, the dose rate level in each of the institutions surveyed are comparable to one another and could simply be attributed to natural sources. The average annual effective dose obtained from this study is 0.189 mSv/annum which is still less than the recommended limit of 1mSv/annum by International Commission on Radiation Protection [ICRP] for non-occupational population exposure.