Article

Comparative study of natural radiation exposure to the public in three uranium and oil regions of Cameroon

¹ Nuclear Physics Laboratory, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, P.O. Box 812, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
² Nuclear Technology Section, Institute of Geological and Mining Research, P.O. Box 4110, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
³ Department of Radiation Physics, Institute of Radiation Emergency Medicine, Hirosaki University, Hirosaki City, Aomori 036-8564, Japan.

^* saidous2002@yahoo.fr

Received: 30 March 2015
Accepted: 17 July 2015

Abstract

The objective of this work is to compare natural radiation exposure to the public in the uranium regions of Poli and Lolodorf and the oil region of Bakassi in Cameroon. From some reported studies on natural radiation exposure in Cameroon, the radiation risk was determined. Activity concentrations, external radiation, and the ingestion and inhalation dose of each of the above regions were compared with the world average value given by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR). From the total dose, the radiation risk of each region was calculated and compared with the world average value. The specific case of indoor radon exposure was particularly considered. The radiation risk attributed to the indoor radon exposure was compared with the lung cancer rate in Cameroon as given by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). In conclusion, the local risks are elevated but not necessarily representative of the country as a whole.