Health effects of ionizing radiation on diagnostic professional radiation workers in some selected health institutions in Southern, Nigeria
Date
2023-10
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Federal University of Technology, Owerri
Abstract
This study was designed to evaluate the effects of regular low-level ionizing radiation on the hematological parameter of occupational radiation workers. This experimental study was carried out in southern Nigeria among 202 samples, which include 101 occupationally exposed workers and 101 non-occupational exposed workers (control).The exposed subjects were selected from Radiology Departments and Radio diagnostic centers with large number of referral cases who were chronically exposed to low doses of ionizing radiation. Selected controls workers in the same hospitals and center without being exposed to any kind of radiation doses. All exposed and control subjects match gender, age and occupational records (±3 years). They were categorized based on the duration of exposure as group 1 (<10 years) and group 2 (≥10 years). A Physical Dosimetry was carried out by measuring their occupational exposure to ionizing radiation is routinely monitored by personal exposure measurement devices (Thermoluminiscent dosimeter).This monitoring was carried out for at least two years and a Biological Dosimetry was also carried out using Full Blood Count to ascertain the biological effect of low ionizing radiation. Data such as gender, age, full blood count parameters as well as the radiation doses received by the radiation workers were collected using data capture sheet. All results were compared to the standard values. Out of 101 radiation workers, the majority 70.3% (n=71) were medical radiographers and the least 1.98% (n=2) were medical physicists. There is a statistically significant mean difference between the standard dose and radiation doses received by radiation workers with the mean cumulative dose of 1.67mSv which is below the recommended dose of 20mSv by the ICRP (t= -234.6, p= 0.00). There were statistically significant mean difference between blood parameters of radiation workers (BPRW) and standard full blood count limits(SFBCL) are WBC (BPRW = 5.19 and SFBCL mid-point = 7.00- 10 x 109), RBC (BPRW = 4.08 and SFBCL = 4.50-5.50 x 1012), Platelets (BPRW = 228.22 and SFBCL = 200 x 109) and MCV (BPRW = 80.51 and 80-100), with values of WBC ( t= 12.16, p = 0.00), RBC ( t= 4.09, p =0.00), Platelets ( t= 3.57, p = 0.001) and MCV (t= -8.76, p = 0.00). The analysis of variance (ANOVA) results revealed that there were statistically significant different in the radiation effects on the blood parameters such as WBC (F= 2.326, p = 0.025), RBC (F = 3.969, p= 0.000), Platelets (F=6.060, p = 0.000), MCH (F=4.898, p = 0.000), HCT (F=4.060, p = 0.000) and MCHC (F=5.377, p =0.000). There were no statistically significant different in the effect of radiations on Hb (F=1.690, p=0.111) and MCV (F=1.502, p = 0.167). The average annual effective radiation dose was below the limits advised by the International Commission on Padiological Protection, there was also some evidence that low ionizing radiation exposures affect some hematological parameters of radiation workers. Despite this, there is no established threshold for initiation of biologic alterations brought on by exposure to low doses of radiation.
Description
This thesis is for the award of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD.) in Radiation and Health Physics
Keywords
Ionizing radiation, radiation workers, complete blood count, low-dose, thermoluminiscent dosimeter, hematological parameters, physical dosimetry, Department of Physics
Citation
Omita, E. (2023). Health effects of ionizing radiation on diagnostic professional radiation workers in some selected health institutions in Southern, Nigeria (Unpublished Doctoral Thesis). Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria