Correlation Analysis of Natural Radionuclides, Radon Exposure, Soil Particles, and Moisture from Quarry Towns in Greater Accra Region, Ghana

Otoo, Francis; Darko, Emmanuel Ofori; Garavaglia, Massimo

Correlation Analysis of Natural Radionuclides, Radon Exposure, Soil Particles, and Moisture from Quarry Towns in Greater Accra Region, Ghana

2022

Otoo, Francis | Darko, Emmanuel Ofori | Garavaglia, Massimo

Natural radionuclides, radon exposure, soil particles, moisture, and dwellings from quarry towns in Greater Accra Region have been studied with hyper pure germanium detector (HPGe), passive radon detectors (CR-39), and sieving techniques. Soil formation and radioactivity levels have been estimated by determining correlation coefficient, clustering, principal, and factoring plot box. The average values for the ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, ⁴⁰ K, radon exhalation (²²²Rnₑᵣ), and indoor radon (²²²Rnᵢₙ) are 27 ± 13 Bq/kg, 31 ± 14 Bq/kg 132 ± 103 Bq/kg, 87 ± 40 µBq/m²h, and 77 ± 37 Bq/m³. Eighteen (18%) and fifteen (15%) percent of the studied radon exhalation from the soil and radon indoor concentrations in dwellings from quarry towns were found to be more than the level of 125 µBq/m²h and 100 Bq/m³ from UNSCEAR and WHO reference level respectively. The average values for moisture and gravel, sand, and fine particles were 10.6 ± 6%, 33 ± 18%, 33.2 ± 13%, and 33.0 ± 6%. Radon exhalation with gravel particles and moisture recorded the highest positive and negative correlations of 0.81 and 0.85. The radon exhalation relates with moisture and soil particles far better than the indoor radon. Single-cluster and close bond was found to exist between the radon exhalation and ²²⁶Ra concentration. Three dimensional clusters contributed to 86.6% cumulative measured data variance. The study indicated that soil particles and moisture content have direct influence on natural radioactivity and radon levels in both indoor and outdoor environments. Statistical analysis performed also indicated that the natural radionuclides and radon concentrations have both positive and negative relation with the moisture and soil particles.

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