Vol. 6, No 1, 2009 pp. 1 - 9
UDC 550.35:771.318.3; 546.214:699.87 (669)
TERRESTRIAL RADIATION PROFILE OF A NIGERIAN
UNIVERSITY CAMPUS:
IMPACT OF COMPUTER AND PHOTOCOPIER OPERATIONS
Margaret A. Briggs-Kamara1, Friday
B. Sigalo1, Yehuwdah E. Chad-Umoren2,
Ferdinand A. Kamgba1
1Department of Physics, Rivers State
University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
2Department of Physics, University
of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
E-mail: briggskamara@yahoo.com;
fbsigalo@hotmail.com;
echadumoren@yahoo.com
Abstract. Most universities in Nigeria have high concentrations
of photocopiers and computers positioned all over their campuses, often
indiscriminately and without regard for the environmental health implications
of the radiations emanating from these machines. We study here the impact
of the presence of such machines on the terrestrial radiation profile of
a Nigerian University, the Rivers State University of Science and Technology,
Port Harcourt. The campus was delineated into five study areas. Using the
Radalert 50 specialized G-M tube and a model of 7 working hours per day
for 7 days per week in each location, the lowest dose equivalent of 0.011
± 0.003mSv/week was obtained for the Living Quarters while a dose equivalent
of 0.016 ± 0.004mSv/week was found at the Business Centre of the campus
where the highest concentration of photocopiers and computers is found.
Though all the values obtained are within the ICRP prescribed 0.02mSv/week,
there is evidence indicating that radiations of photocopier and computer
origin result in elevation of the environmental radiation profile.
Key Words: Terrestrial radiation, photocopiers, computers, dose
equivalent, absorbed dose, health hazards, ozone
RADIJACIONI PROFIL ZEMLJE NA KAMPUSU JEDNOG
NIGERIJSKOG UNIVERZITETA:
UTICAJ KOMPJUTERSKIH I FOTOKOPIR MAŠINA
Većina univerziteta u Nigeriji imaju visoke koncentracije fotokopir i
kompjuterskih mašina koje su raspoređene po čitavim kampusima, često
bez obraćanja pažnje na potencijalne posledice na očuvanje životne
sredine koje potiču od radijacije koju ove mašine emituju. U ovom radu
istražujemo uticaj prisustva ovakvih mašina na radijacioni profil zemlje
jednog univerziteta u Nigeriji, Rivers State University of Science and
Technology, Port Harcourt. Kampus je za potrebe istraživanja podeljen
u pet oblasti koje su izučavane. Koristeći Radalert 50 specijalizovanu
G-M cev i model sedmočasovnog radnog dana u toku sedam radnih dana na
svakoj lokaciji, najmanja doza, čija je vrednost 0.011 ± 0.003mSv/po
nedelji pronađena je za stambeni deo kampusa dok je doza čija je vrednost
0.016 ± 0.004mSv/po nedelji pronađena u poslovnom centru kampusa gde
je koncentracija fotokopir i kompjuterskih mašina bila najveća. Iako
su sve dobijene vrednosti u okvirima onih koje preporučuje ICRP, u vrednosti
od 0.02mSv/po nedelji, postoji dokaz da radijacija koju emituju fotokopir
mašine i kompjuteri kao ishod ima uvećanje radijacionog profila životne
sredine.
Ključne reči: zemljana radijacija, fotokopir mašine, kompjuteri,
doze u vrednosti od, apsorbovana doza, opasnost po zdravlje, ozon
