Determination of toxic elements in waters and sediments from River Subin in the Ashanti Region of Ghana

Waters and sediments of Subin River, which flows through the industrial and commercial areas of Kumasi in the Ashanti region of Ghana, were geochemically investigated to ascertain heavy metal pollution levels due to anthropogenic activities. The study shows preoccupying pollution levels that constitute a threat to public and ecological systems. The waters of Subin River are neutral to slightly basic, inferred from pH values of 6.89–7.65). Electric conductivity (EC) of the waters ranges from 822 to 1,821 μs/cm and the range of total dissolved solids (TDS) is from 409 to 913 mg/l. Toxic elements contents of sediments and waters from 10 sites along the river were analysed by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA), and Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu and Zn were determined. The concentrations of Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu and Zn in the waters range between 4.02–15.18, 0.007–0.16, 0.002–0.05, 0.001–0.019, 1.32–7.04 and 4.28–10.2 mg/l, respectively. The contamination factors (CF) computed for the elements indicate that with the exception of sampling site S10, the sediments are polluted with Cd. Chromium contamination in the sediments is observed at S6 and S7, where the CF values were 1.39 and 1.52, respectively. The pollution load indices (PLI) were low (<1) and ranged from 0.14 to 0.75, suggesting that the overall sediment column of the river is not polluted.     

石油测井用中子源辐射屏蔽研究

放射源测井技术是当今石油勘探和开发中必不可少的手段，开展对测井人员的屏蔽防护研究十分必要。将聚乙（丙）烯与碳化硼和氧化铝等以不同比例混合后制成的板材和织物具有良好的热中子、中能中子和快中子屏蔽效果，加工成屏蔽装置后，可使镅－铍源中子的屏蔽率达到６２．０６％，γ射线屏蔽率达到３２．４３％，结合中子辐射防护服和防护围裙等的使用，可较好地解决测井人员的辐射防护问题。     

Uptake of uranium and thorium by native and cultivated plants

Large part of available literature on biogeochemistry of uranium and thorium refers to the studies performed either in highly contaminated areas or in nutrient solutions that have been artificially ‘spiked’ with radionuclides. Effects of background levels of natural radioactivity on soil-grown plants have not been studied to the same extent. In this paper, we summarised results of greenhouse and field experiments performed by the author from 2000 to 2006. We examined some of the factors affecting transfer of U and Th from soil to plants, differences in uptake of these radionuclides by different plants, relationships between U and Th in soil and in plants, and temporal variations of U and Th in different plant species. Concentrations of radionuclides (critical point for experimental studies on biogeochemistry of U and Th - rare trace elements in non-contaminated regions) and essential plant nutrients and trace elements were determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis.     

Determination of levels of polychlorinated biphenyl in transformers oil from some selected transformers in parts of the Greater Accra Region of Ghana

Although polychlorinated biphenyls have never been manufactured in Ghana, it has been used extensively as dielectric fluid in electric transformers and capacitors. However, very little is known of its health and environmental impacts by both managers of these transformers and capacitors and also the general public. This work therefore seeks to explore INAA as a possible alternative to screening transformer oils for PCBs by determining the total chlorine content. The total chlorine content of transformer oil samples from Ghana that tested positive and some randomly selected samples that tested negative from screening using CLOR-N-OIL test kits, have had their total chlorine estimated. INAA using the Research Reactor located at the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission was used to estimate the total chlorine content of the oil samples. Neutron Activation and gamma ray spectroscopy using HPGe detector coupled to MAESTRO 32 software was used to determine the total chlorine content by integrating the peak area of the spectrum into a simplified program that was developed from the activation equation. Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis was able to validate the result obtained from the test kits screening with accuracy 7.5%.The minimum total chlorine content of the positive samples determined by NAA was 71.34 μg g⁻¹.     

中子活化分析在研究成都市大气飘尘中的应用

由于成都市特定的地理环境和逆温差效应的气候特点，成都市的大气污染在横向和纵向上几乎都不能扩散，而只能就地弥漫。本文就利用中子活化这一核分析技术，对成都市不同季节、不同地点的大气飘尘中微量元素（特别是Ａｓ、Ｃｒ、Ｔｈ、Ｕ等有害元素）的变化进行了初步分析。     

Development of a field well head safety system for use with radiation generating devices

This paper discusses the design, testing and application of a new interlock system for field use with neutron generating bore hole probes at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory. Such probes produce 14 MeV neutrons at a yield up to 3×10⁸ neutrons/s, and present an ionizing radiation hazard to personnel particularly when operated in an unshielded configuration. This interlock system prevents personnel from being exposed to the relatively high radiation fields caused by an unsafe condition when an operating neutron generator probe is withdrawn from a well in the ground. An electromechanical interlock prototype system has been designed, built and tested, and has been found to be effective at preventing this event. The design is simple, is effective in mitigating the hazard, and can be installed in minutes. The system could be modified to interlock radiation-generating devices other than neutron generators that are used in similar environments.     

乌鲁木齐市大气TSP中28种元素的测定与变化规律的研究

报道了乌鲁木齐市一年的内大气ＴＳＰ中２８种元素含量的监测结果，污染程度及变化规律，为进一步加强环境管理和大气污染治理，改善环境质量提供科学依据。     

Neutron activation and atomic absorption analysis of Ulva Lactuca and Gracilaria Verrucosa from Thermaikos Gulf,Greece

NAA and AAS have been applied to determine the content of As, Br, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, La, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, Sb, Sc, Sm and Zn in Ulva lactuca and Gracilaria verrucosa from Thermaikos Gulf, Greece. The analytical data has been subjected to cluster and stepwise discriminant analysis. Thus the influence of some industrial sources on the pollution of water in the Gulf is detected and correlation between Zn‐Co‐Cr‐La; Br‐K; Cu‐Ni; Cd‐Sb‐Mn in the investigated algae is established.     

中子辐射防护服的设计、结构与效果

系统地阐述了中子辐射防护服的设计依据、结构、式样及使用效果。表明这是一种能有效地屏蔽热中子和中能中子的防护器具,可用于许多场所。