RADIOLOGICAL HAZARD ASSESSMENT OF BEACH SANDS FROM LANDING BEACHES IN THE VOLTA REGION OF GHANA

E.O. Darko, C. Schandorf , G. Emi-Reynolds, A. Faanu

Henry Lawluvi, RADIOLOGICAL HAZARD ASSESSMENT OF BEACH SANDS FROM LANDING BEACHES IN THE VOLTA REGION OF GHANA(2015)SDRP Journal of Earth Sciences & Environmental Studies 1(1)

Hazards attributable to the natural radionuclides present in beach sands, from ten (10) landing beaches in the Volta Region of Ghana, was assessed in this study. The terrestrial radiation exposure levels at the beaches, in addition to hazards humans may face in using the analyzed sands were determined. Gamma-spectrometry was used to assess specific activities of radionuclides in the samples. Three different radiological hazard indices analogous to radiation hazards were estimated. Total absorbed gamma dose rate in the air and equivalent annual effective dose were assessed. The resulting specific activities range from 1.87 - 17.53 Bq Kg-1 for 226Ra, 3.84 - 24.81 Bq Kg-1 for 232Th and 77.40 - 1103.90 for 40K, while mean values of 30.02 nGy h-1, 0.18 mSv y-1, 61.24Bq kg-1, 0.17 and 0.19 were obtained, for absorbed dose rate, annual external effective dose, radium equivalent activity, external hazard index and internal hazard index respectively. Sands from the beaches studied cannot be considered as radiological hazard to human safety and health.

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