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     Research Journal of Environmental and Earth Sciences

    Abstract
2013(Vol.5, Issue:02)
Article Information:

Assessment of Natural Radioactivity Level in Groundwater from Selected Areas in Accra Metropolis

E.J.M. Nguelem, E.O. Darko, M.M. Ndontchueng, C. Schandorf, T.T. Akiti, A.P. Muhulo and R.O.G. Dogbey
Corresponding Author:  E.J.M. Nguelem 
Submitted: November 09, 2012
Accepted: January 11, 2013
Published: February 20, 2013
Abstract:
The aim of this present study was to assess natural radioactivity levels in selected groundwater (boreholes and wells) used as domestic purposes in particular and drinking as well in some communities in Adentan and Abokobi areas in Greater Accra region of Ghana. This was achieved by first measuring the activity concentration of 222Rn, 40K and 232 232Th in groundwater samples using High-Purity Germanium (HPGe) detector. These concentrations of 40K, 222Rn and 232Th were used with their ingested dose conversion factors to estimate annual effective dose for Adult members of public due to consumption of the groundwater. The estimated average annual effective dose due to consumption of 40K, 222Rn and 232Th in the water samples from Adentan and Abokobi were 113.007±3.940 and 76.568±2.321 μSv/y, respectively. These were compared with the estimated average annual dose due to ingestion of nuclides in water by the WHO (100 μSv/y) and the estimated average dose due to ingestion of radionuclides in food and water (290 μSv/y) by UNSCEAR (2000). They are found within the range even though Adentan value is slightly higher than the WHO average value. The results show that consumption of groundwater may not pose any radiological health hazard to the public.

Key words:  Annual effective dose, groundwater, radionuclides activity concentration, , , ,
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Cite this Reference:
E.J.M. Nguelem, E.O. Darko, M.M. Ndontchueng, C. Schandorf, T.T. Akiti, A.P. Muhulo and R.O.G. Dogbey, . Assessment of Natural Radioactivity Level in Groundwater from Selected Areas in Accra Metropolis. Research Journal of Environmental and Earth Sciences, (02): 85-93.
ISSN (Online):  2041-0492
ISSN (Print):   2041-0484
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