Bello I. A., Najib M. U. Umar S. A. and Ibrahim G. G.
Radiation exposure at e-waste dumpsite around Alaba International market, Lagos was assessed by gamma ray spectroscopy using a highly shielded Canberra NaI(Tl) detector. Twenty soil samples from the e-waste dumpsite were analyzed while a total of fifteen soil samples from control sites in Ibadan were equally analyzed. The mean value of 40K, 226Ra, and 232Th concentrations for the soil samples were 84.26 ± 28.08 Bq/kg, 20.70 ± 0.21 Bq/kg, and 13.32 ± 12.86 Bq/kg respectively. The mean value of 40K, 226Ra, and 232Th concentrations for soil samples from Oritaperin control dumpsite were 488.91 ± 217.24 Bq/kg, 27.93 ± 10.52 Bq/kg, and 44.93 ± 7.24 Bq/kg respectively while that of Ring road control dumpsite were 405.89 ± 75.79 Bq/kg, 35.10 ± 10.97 Bq/kg, and 52.46 ± 7.29 Bq/kg respectively. The mean values of 40K, 226Ra, and 232Th obtained were below that from the control sites and also below world average values of 400 Bq/kg, 35 Bq/kg and 30 Bq/kg respectively as indicated by UNSCEAR. The mean Annual Effective Dose Rate obtained for soil samples from e-waste dumpsite, Oritaperin and Ring road control dumpsites were respectively 0.03mSv/yr, 0.07mSv/yr, and 0.01mSv/yr. These are all below the limit of unity. The mean absorbed dose rate of samples from e-waste dumpsite was 21.12nGy/hr which is lower than world average of 60nGy/hr. Values for other hazard indices were below the world average. Hence, e-waste does not pose any immediate radiological risk to the people working/living on the dumpsite, the international market and its environs. However, this work represents a baseline for future radiological evaluations in the environment due to radioactive contamination
