Radiological hazard levels of construction rocks excavated from quarries in Kericho county, Kenya
Abstract
The study determined the natural activity concentration levels of 40K, 232Th and 238U in rocks used for construction from the 15 selected quarries in Kericho County, Kenya through Gamma-ray Spectrometric analysis at the Physical Sciences department of South Eastern Kenya University (SEKU). IAEA procedures were followed from sample collection, preparation and measurement. Samples were collected, crushed, oven dried at 105 , weighed and packed in sealed containers and kept for four weeks in order for secular equilibrium to be achieved between 226Ra and 232Th. The average activity concentration of 232Th, 238U and 40K were 101 ± 5 Bq/kg, 56 ± 3 Bq/kg and 1100 ± 55 Bq/kg and ranged from 41 ± 2 to 138 ± 7 Bq/kg, 26 ± 1 to 116 ± 6 Bq/kg and 512 ± 26 to 1919 Bq/kg ± 96 Bq/kg respectively. The average external and internal hazard indices were 0.8 mSv/y and 0.9 mSv/y respectively. Radium equivalent ranged from 222 ± 11 Bq/kg to 366 ± 18 Bq/kg with an average value of 285 ± 14 Bq/kg which was below the permissible limit of 370 Bq/kg; therefore, the excavated rocks for construction from the selected quarries in Kericho county poses insignificant health risk to the general population and quarry workers.
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