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Abstract
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Article Information:
Determination of the Concentrations of Physicochemical Parameters in Water and Soil from a Gold Mining Area in Ghana
A. Faanu, J.H. Ephraim, E.O. Darko, D.O. Kpeglo, H. Lawluvi and O. Adukpo
Corresponding Author: Augustine Faanu
Submitted: 2010 December, 01
Accepted: 2010 December, 25
Published: 2011 March, 05 |
Abstract:
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The study assessed the concentration of U, Th and K as well as other trace metals, anions and the
physical parameters in water and soil samples in a goldmine and its surroundings using NAA, AAS, UV-VIS
spectrophotometer and gross alpha/beta counter. The mean concentrations of the U, Th and K were 0.020, 0.029
and 1.19 mg/L. The concentration of U, Th and K were variable in soil and rock samples taken from different
locations in the study area with mean values varying in arrange of 0.2 to 1.8 μg/g, 0.9 to 2.6 μg/g and 7037 to
71360 μg/g, respectively. The concentrations of U, Th and K are comparable to world average values in similar
studies. The calculated Th/U ratios show that there has not been significant fractionation during weathering or
involvement in metasomatic activity of the radioelements with a mean value of 2.5. The concentrations of the
other trace metals, anions and the physical parameters are within the WHO guideline levels in drinking water.
The mean values of the gross-" and gross-$ activity concentrations were 0.012 and 0.137 Bq/L. These values
are below the WHO recommended guideline values for drinking w ater. In general, the concentrations of U, Th
and K in water and soil/rock sam ples were generally low even with the acidic conditions of the study area. The
results obtained in this study also shows that the background radiation levels are within the natural limits and
compared well with sim ilar studies for other countries.
Key words: Gamma spectroscopy, goldmine, mineral processing, natural radioactivity, neutron activation, ,
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Cite this Reference:
A. Faanu, J.H. Ephraim, E.O. Darko, D.O. Kpeglo, H. Lawluvi and O. Adukpo, . Determination of the Concentrations of Physicochemical Parameters in Water and Soil from a Gold Mining Area in Ghana. Research Journal of Environmental and Earth Sciences, (2): 178-187.
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ISSN (Online): 2041-0492
ISSN (Print): 2041-0484 |
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