ABSTRACT Autolysed brewery yeast waste is currently being used as cost effective protein bait for Bactrocera invadens control the world over to replace commercial protein hydrolysate bait formulations. However, significant reduction in production cost can be achieved when all the production materials are from local sources. This experiment was aimed at assessing the efficacy of locally produced papain extracted from ―Red lady‖ pawpaw fruit latex and skin peel to be used for protein bait p...
ABSTRACT The use of materials that contain radioactive substances has gained grounds in Ghana due to numerous benefits derived from them. These radioactive materials can be found in the areas of medicine, agriculture and industries such as mining. Though there are strict measures to ensure such material do not find its way into the environment, improper management of the waste poses a threat to the environment. To be able to understand the impact the radioactive material has on the environmen...
ABSTARCT A seismological and geological investigation for earthquake hazard in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area was undertaken. The research was aimed at employing a mathematical model to estimate the seismic stress for the study area by generating a complete, unified and harmonized earthquake catalogue spanning 1615 to 2012. Seismic events were sourced from Leydecker, G. and P. Amponsah, (1986), Ambraseys and Adams, (1986), Amponsah (2008), Geological Survey Department, Accra, Ghana, Ampo...
ABSTRACT This work evaluates the possibility of creating an online patient dose verification system through exit dose measurement on a Co-60 teletherapy machine which lacks an electronic portal imaging device (EPID). Exit dose measurements were done by diode and Barracuda and compared to those of an ionization chamber. The diode was first calibrated and the necessary correction factors (depth and field size corrections) determined using a PMMA phantom. The transmission factor of the couch was...
ABSTRACT Fertilizers have been implicated for being contaminated with toxic trace elements and naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORMs) even though they are an indispensible component of our agriculture. This phenomenon of contamination has been investigated and established world-wide in various forms of fertilizers (i.e., granular or “traditional” type and liquid/powder or “non-traditional type”). In Ghana, the crop sub-sector has seen a gradual rise in the importation and u...
ABSTRACT The European Pressurized Water Reactor (EPR) and Hualong One Pressurized Water Reactor (HPR) are two of the reactors under consideration by the Ghana Nuclear Power Programme. Radiotoxicity analysis of Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) assembly was carried out with these commercial Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) nuclear power technology as case study. Burnup depletion calculation for the Uranium Oxide (UOX) fuel of these reactor technologies was simulated. Monte Carlo Neutron Particle Extende...
ABSTRACT Recent introduction of man-made toxic chemicals, and the massive relocation of natural materials to different environmental compartments like soil, ground water and atmosphere, has resulted in severe pressure on the self-cleansing capacity of recipient ecosystems. Various accumulated pollutants and contaminants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are of much concern relative to both human and ecosystem exposure and potential health impact. PCBs which are resistant to degradati...
ABSTRACT Nuclear power plants vary based on their technology, design and material composition of the various components of the reactor. Nigeria's decision to adopt nuclear technology for power generation presents the need for comparison of the different types of nuclear power plants based on waste generation, to help in choosing which of the reactors to adopt using Open Fuel Cycle, knowing that the generation of waste during the lifetime and operation of a Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) is a point...
ABSTRACT An x-ray dose above the maximum permissible limit is harmful to human beings. A study of x-ray attenuation by materials is an important subject in protecting humans from harmful effects of radiation. Thus it is desirable to have knowledge about materials for effective x-ray shielding. Concrete is the most widely used construction material for this purpose and its composition plays an essential role in modifying the mechanical properties which affects significantly the shielding prope...
ABSTRACT In this study, the Monte Carlo N-particle simulation code MCNPX-2.6.0 was used to determine the shielding effectiveness of clay, wood and sandstone. This was done by determining the transmission of 60Co gamma and X-rays with energies 60 keV, 120 keV and 300 keV through wood, clay and sandstone. The transport computations were done for slab shield, computing half-value layers (HVLs), tenth-value layers (TVLs), buildup factors, and attenuation coefficients (both linear and mass attenua...
ABSTRACT A manual eight multi-leaf collimator (MLC) has been designed and fabricated for the Cirus cobalt-60 machine at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital. The fabricated MLC is made up of a high carbon steel leaves. The leaf in each bank has a standard width of 7.5 cm projected at the isocentre at a thickness of 4.6 cm. The leaf transmission factor was determined to be 4.8%, which is within the acceptable standard of below 5%. The cobalt-60 beam characteristics such as beam profiles, output ...
ABSTRACT Radio communication is an integral part of any military operation. This helps commanders at all levels to achieve command and control in their operational environment. The employment of these radios with their corresponding antennas has led to an increase in the concern of the potential health risks that may arise as a result of exposure to radio frequency (RF) radiations. The main objective of this research was to determine the levels of radio frequency field exposure to military pe...
ABSTRACT The population within Bongo and Kassena Nankana West Districts, in the Upper East Region of Ghana is estimated to be about 84,545 and 70,667, respectively. An estimate of about 80% of the population depends on groundwater for domestic and agricultural purposes. However, groundwater resources in the Districts is at risk due to anthropogenic activities such as rapid increase in irrigation activities and animals rearing, open defecation and uncontrolled disposal of animal droppings, imp...
ABSTRACT Water is used in almost all human activities and large amounts of wastewater are produced every time. Wastewater need to be treated before it is discharged into the environment because it contains possible harmful substances which can pollute the environment and threaten life. Waste water treatment methods vary from industry to industry according to the process utilized. In most cases, the contaminants are not fully removed from waste water before discharge, due to certain malfunctio...
ABSTRACT This study examines the current state of the shielding integrity of the 38.7 TBq Co-60 gamma ray scanner with an average energy of 1.25 MeV operated by NICK TC Scan Limited, which has been in use for destination inspection at Aflao Border of Ghana, for the past six years, (2010-2016). The facility uses a high energy ionizing radiation in its operation; therefore continuous adequacy of the installed biological shielding is critical to the protection and safety of the workers and the g...