Mapping and Assessment of Activity Concentration of 222Rn and its associated Exposures from the Drinking Water Sources of Taraba State, Nigeria

Mapping and Assessment of Activity Concentration of 222Rn and its associated Exposures from the Drinking Water Sources of Taraba State, Nigeria | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Mapping and Assessment of Activity Concentration of 222 Rn and its associated Exposures from the Drinking Water Sources of Taraba State, Nigeria Christopher Mmaduabuchi Odoh, Nurudeen Nasiru Garba, Rabiu Nasiru, and 2 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9123878/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 21 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Radon is a colourless, odourless, and tasteless gas, which emanates from the natural disintegration of radioactive uranium in soils and rocks, dissolves, and accumulates in underground and surface water. 222 Rn is a natural and the most prevalent isotope of radon and poses the largest risk to humans. A Liquid Scintillation Counter (LSC) set-up at the Centre for Energy Research and Training (CERT), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria, was used to determine the activity concentrations of 222 Rn in water samples from Taraba State. Water samples from Taraba had activity amounts of 222 Rn ranging from BDL to \(11.5Bq/L\) with an average value of \(5.7\pm0.3Bq/L\) . This mean value was below the \(10Bq/L\) of WHO and \(11.1Bq/L\) of USEPA recommendations but was higher than \(0.1Bq/L\) acceptable limit for Nigerian Standard for Quality Drinking Water (NSQDW). The iso-concentration map of the state showed that Takum, Ussa, Bali, Sardauna, Gashaka, Yorro, Zing, Lau, Karim Lamido, and Jalingo LGAs of the state are hit with 222 Rn concentrations above \(5.5Bq/L\) , while Ardo-Kola, Ibi, Wukari, and Donga LGAs are hit with 222 Rn concentrations below \(5.5Bq/L\) . The yearly effective dosage (YED) resulting from ingesting radon-contaminated water in Taraba state were found in the range of \(BDLto112.6\muSv/y\) with a mean value of \(55.7\pm2.8\muSv/y\) . The results of the statistical analysis showed a very strong positive correlation between the YED and activity concentration of 222 Rn in the state. An increase in the activity concentration of 222 Rn in the state relates to corresponding \(9.82\text{m}\text{S}\text{v}{y}^{-1}\) increase in YED in the state. 222Rn Activity concentration Taraba State Water yearly effective dose Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 29 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 18 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 17 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 16 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 15 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 14 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 13 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 13 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 13 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 12 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 12 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 12 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 11 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 11 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 11 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 11 Apr, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 08 Apr, 2026 Editor invited by journal 26 Mar, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 18 Mar, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 18 Mar, 2026 First submitted to journal 14 Mar, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9123878","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":623583080,"identity":"17d8378c-0118-4a6d-8476-46f4a1878267","order_by":0,"name":"Christopher Mmaduabuchi Odoh","email":"data:image/png;base64,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","orcid":"","institution":"Federal University Wukari","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Christopher","middleName":"Mmaduabuchi","lastName":"Odoh","suffix":""},{"id":623583086,"identity":"a2ba0d36-263e-4413-9d58-171fd30fc49a","order_by":1,"name":"Nurudeen Nasiru Garba","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Ahmadu Bello 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Wukari","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Moses","middleName":"Ejike","lastName":"Onudibia","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-03-14 16:08:45","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9123878/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9123878/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":107481867,"identity":"28ce771d-b679-4366-bbf8-6e28f1db08ca","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-22 02:20:34","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":626129,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Odohmanuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9123878/v1_covered_9d0b520c-51fb-4875-a730-722d660bde6b.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"\u003cp\u003eMapping and Assessment of Activity Concentration of \u003csup\u003e222\u003c/sup\u003eRn and its associated Exposures from the Drinking Water Sources of Taraba State, Nigeria\u003c/p\u003e","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"discover-environment","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"Learn more about [Discover Environment](https://www.springer.com/44274/)","snPcode":"44274","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/44274/3","title":"Discover Environment","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Discover Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"222Rn, Activity concentration, Taraba State, Water, yearly effective dose","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9123878/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9123878/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eRadon is a colourless, odourless, and tasteless gas, which emanates from the natural disintegration of radioactive uranium in soils and rocks, dissolves, and accumulates in underground and surface water. \u003csup\u003e222\u003c/sup\u003eRn is a natural and the most prevalent isotope of radon and poses the largest risk to humans. A Liquid Scintillation Counter (LSC) set-up at the Centre for Energy Research and Training (CERT), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria, was used to determine the activity concentrations of \u003csup\u003e222\u003c/sup\u003eRn in water samples from Taraba State. Water samples from Taraba had activity amounts of \u003csup\u003e222\u003c/sup\u003eRn ranging from BDL to \u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(11.5Bq/L\\)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e with an average value of \u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(5.7\\pm0.3Bq/L\\)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e. This mean value was below the \u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(10Bq/L\\)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e of WHO and \u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(11.1Bq/L\\)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e of USEPA recommendations but was higher than \u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(0.1Bq/L\\)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e acceptable limit for Nigerian Standard for Quality Drinking Water (NSQDW). The iso-concentration map of the state showed that Takum, Ussa, Bali, Sardauna, Gashaka, Yorro, Zing, Lau, Karim Lamido, and Jalingo LGAs of the state are hit with \u003csup\u003e222\u003c/sup\u003eRn concentrations above \u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(5.5Bq/L\\)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e, while Ardo-Kola, Ibi, Wukari, and Donga LGAs are hit with \u003csup\u003e222\u003c/sup\u003eRn concentrations below \u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(5.5Bq/L\\)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e. The yearly effective dosage (YED) resulting from ingesting radon-contaminated water in Taraba state were found in the range of \u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(BDLto112.6\\muSv/y\\)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e with a mean value of \u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(55.7\\pm2.8\\muSv/y\\)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e. The results of the statistical analysis showed a very strong positive correlation between the YED and activity concentration of \u003csup\u003e222\u003c/sup\u003eRn in the state. An increase in the activity concentration of \u003csup\u003e222\u003c/sup\u003eRn in the state relates to corresponding \u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(9.82\\text{m}\\text{S}\\text{v}{y}^{-1}\\)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e increase in YED in the state.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Mapping and Assessment of Activity Concentration of 222Rn and its associated Exposures from the Drinking Water Sources of Taraba State, Nigeria","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-04-16 23:04:37","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9123878/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2026-04-29T04:51:12+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-04-18T09:46:12+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-04-17T13:11:31+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-04-16T14:45:28+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-04-15T11:08:31+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"186258690646464872608091762983125405354","date":"2026-04-14T14:14:40+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"119015713621821378919361427906680265098","date":"2026-04-13T10:58:48+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"97567709346955296123129426520720706506","date":"2026-04-13T09:08:47+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"214964891188110680968429402722444805020","date":"2026-04-13T08:10:59+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"42873506953881941694111677565173580343","date":"2026-04-13T03:42:12+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"205608730923805778688421678080986467965","date":"2026-04-13T03:34:46+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"308936552650892594121739388692019665656","date":"2026-04-12T09:42:41+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"30557799640027516379718874557255786761","date":"2026-04-11T18:38:11+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"51706344983237042529127134456435768206","date":"2026-04-11T15:10:15+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"135716140830589012588707039417453150768","date":"2026-04-11T12:28:57+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"288140635898797174281998814691074432135","date":"2026-04-11T05:18:51+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2026-04-09T01:21:39+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvited","content":"","date":"2026-03-26T04:12:48+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2026-03-18T08:09:51+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2026-03-18T08:09:46+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Discover Environment","date":"2026-03-14T16:04:22+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"discover-environment","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"Learn more about [Discover Environment](https://www.springer.com/44274/)","snPcode":"44274","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/44274/3","title":"Discover Environment","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Discover Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"3e6b76f4-f723-4db3-8750-1e828f8f4acd","owner":[],"postedDate":"April 16th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-05-13T09:23:12+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-04-16 23:04:37","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-9123878","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-9123878","identity":"rs-9123878","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}