World Journal of
Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences

DETERMINATION OF RADON CONCENTRATION IN UNDERGROUND WATER WITH LATITUDE IN SELECTED AREAS IN THE ASHANTI REGION OF GHANA

Seth Adjei Owusu*, Eric Clement Desmond Kotei Adisson, Gabriel Acquah, Yaw Addo Bediako, Theophilus Baffoe Apraku and Job Donkor

ABSTRACT

Radon is one of the carcinogenic radioactive gases. Radon causes radiological risk to the public via ingestion and inhalation. The aim of this study was to determine radon concentration in underground water in selected areas in and around Kumasi Metropolis of the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Water samples were taken from Mowire, Kronum, Aburaso, Medoma, Kenyase, Buokrom, Bomfa, Ayeduase, Kotei and Tikrom. Water samples from boreholes and wells in the selected towns were sampled and the radon concentration level was measured. The Roll’s method was used for the radon concentration analysis on all the 100 samples from all the towns used for the study. Radon levels were found to vary from 4.82 ± 1.32 Bq/l to 964.63 Bq/l ± 320.896 Bq/l. At Kronum, the minimum and the maximum radon concentrations ranged from 17.09 to 83.89 in Bq/l with mean of 42.593 ± 20.55 Bq/l. Kenyase and Abira recorded mean radon concentration of 133.23 Bq/l. Buokrom had mean radon concentration of 29.14 Bq/l ± 10.07 Bq/l, Ayeduase and Kotei recorded mean radon concentration of 34.266 Bq/l ± 12.64 Bq/l, Bomfa recorded mean radon concentration of 21.18 ± Bq/l 11.04 Bq/l, Mowire and Tikrom recorded mean radon concentrations of 325.667 Bq/l and 689.053 Bq/l respectively. This study conclude that water samples rom Kronum, Buokrom, Ayeduase, Kotei and Bomfa had mean radon concentrations below the reference level of 100 Bql?1 proposed by WHO and EU Commission. Kenyase, Abira Mowire and Tikrom had mean radon concentrations above the reference level of 100 Bql?1 proposed by WHO and EU Commission.

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