DETERMINATION FOR LEVELS OF RADIONUCLIDES OF URANIUM, THORIUM AND POTASSIUM IN WATER, SEDIMENTS AND ALGAE SAMPLES FROM SELECTED COASTAL AREAS OF LAGOS, NIGERIA; USING ENERGY DISPERSIVE X-RAY FLOURESCENCE (Published)
Concentration of some natural radionuclides were determined in water, sediments and green algae collected from selected coastal areas of Lagos, Nigeria over a period of two seasons (wet and dry) using Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (ED-XRF) techniques. This was done to highlight and ascertain possible radionuclide pollution. Using the ED-XRF technique, 46.10±1.34 ppm of Potassium was found in the sampled sediment during the dry season while Uranium, Thorium and Potassium were beyond the limit of detection during the wet season The ED-XRF technique showed that 31.40±0.14 ppm of Potassium was present in algae during dry the season. Uranium, Thorium and Potassium were beyond detection limit in the water samples using ED-XRF. The interactions of the wet and dry season showed that the nuclides of Uranium, Thorium and Potassium series are on the move and no significant changes in the concentration of the nuclides from wet to dry season. Potassium obtained are above the permissible levels by IAEA and may have health implication on the environment and persons living around the Coastal areas.
Keywords: : Radionuclides, Energy Dispersive X-Ray Flourescence, Pollution