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Abstract
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Article Information:
Assessment of Natural Radioactive Materials in Building Materials Used along the Coast of Central Region of Ghana
F. Otoo, O.K. Adukpo, E.O. Darko, G. Emi-Reynolds, A.R. Awudu, H. Ahiamadjie, J.B. Tandoh, F. Hasford, S. Adu and O. Gyampo
Corresponding Author: Francis Otoo
Submitted: 2010 December, 17
Accepted: 2011 January, 16
Published: 2011 April, 05 |
Abstract:
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The naturally occurring radioactive materials associate with building materials from twelve (12)
towns along coastal part of Central Region of Ghana have been studied. The activity concentration of 238U, 232Th
and 40K ranged from 27.90±1.06 to 97.89±6.34 Bq/kg, 15.47±0.97 to 70.97±5.83 Bq/kg and 89.34±5.20 to
943.44±34 Bq/kg, respectively. The 238U recorded the highest value of 97.89±6.34 Bq/kg in granite from
Ampenyi whilst pebbles from Winneba recorded the lowest activity concentration. The 232Th activity
concentration level ranged from 15.47±0.97 to 70.97±5.83 Bq/kg with clay soil from Kormantse recording the
highest whiles pebbles from Apam had the lowest average activity concentration. The average activity
concentration of 40K ranged from 89.34±5.20 to 943.44±34 Bq/kg , with the highest activity concentration level
occurring in Ampenyi and lowest level of the activity concentration also occurring in beach sand from Apam.
The activities are compared with available data from other publications and with the world average value for
soils. The radium equivalent activity Raeq, the external hazard index (Hex) (0.17 to 0.48), Internal hazard index
(Hin) (0.25 to 0.72), the absorbed dose rate D in air (36.90 to 131.29 nGy/h) and the annual effective dose (ET)
(181.02 to 644.00 :Sv/yr) were evaluated to assess the radiation hazard for people living in dwellings made
of these building materials. The studies indicated that the main contributions to gamma-radiation in building
materials are 40K, 238U and 232Th. The results obtained were found to be within the allowable limit of 1mSv per
year for public exposure control recommended by the International Commission Radiological Protection (ICRP)
and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
Key words: Building materials, effective dose, external and Internal hazard indexes, NORMS, gamma spectrometry, radium equivalent,
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Cite this Reference:
F. Otoo, O.K. Adukpo, E.O. Darko, G. Emi-Reynolds, A.R. Awudu, H. Ahiamadjie, J.B. Tandoh, F. Hasford, S. Adu and O. Gyampo, . Assessment of Natural Radioactive Materials in Building Materials Used along the Coast of Central Region of Ghana. Research Journal of Environmental and Earth Sciences, (3): 261-268.
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ISSN (Online): 2041-0492
ISSN (Print): 2041-0484 |
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