Assessment of Radioactive and Trace Elements in Maiganga Coal of Upper Benue Trough, Northeastern Nigeria

Abstract

Maiganga coal is one of the recently discovered coal deposits in Gombe state, north-eastern Nigeria of which no published information is known about the concentrations of its naturally occurring radioactive materials and trace elements. Though it is currently being mined and used for firing the kilns of a leading cement factory in Nigeria, a comprehensive radiological and trace elements characterization of this deposit is needed for the protection of both the coal workers and the community from the effects of ionizing radiation and metal pollution associated with coal use. In this research, gamma spectrometric technique which employs the HPGe detector was employed to qualitatively and quantitatively assess the natural radionuclides (226Ra, 232Th and 40K) present in Maiganga coal samples. Radiological hazard indices due to these primordial radionuclides were computed with a view to establishing the radiological health implications on both the miners, the immediate community of the mine and the coal users. The trace elements concentrations were determined using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The levels of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), strontium (Sr), barium (Ba), beryllium (Be), nickel (Ni) and vanadium (V) were analysed, and correlated with their respective Clarke values for world low-rank coals. The overall results were compared with literatures from other parts of the world.