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Natural radioactivity in soils and rocks within the Greater Accra Region of Ghana

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Abstract

Natural radioactivity in soil and rock samples from different geologicalstructures in selected locations within the Greater Accra Region of Ghanahas been studied using gamma-spectrometry. Results indicated that the majorcontribution to terrestrial background radiation is the natural radioactiveseries notably 40K, 238U and 232Th. Estimatedexposure rate at 1 m above the soil surface ranged from 0.9 to 20.6 µR/hin soils and 0.6 to 17.8 µR/h in rocks. Granitic rocks at Dodowa containhigher levels of the naturally occurring radioactive elements. The relativelylow concentration around the Shai Hills may be due to the predominance ofsand.

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  1. Radiation Protection Board, Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, P. O. Box LG 80, Legon, Accra, Ghana

    E. O. Darko

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  1. E. O. Darko
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Darko, E.O. Natural radioactivity in soils and rocks within the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry 249, 629–632 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1013262702436

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