Browsing by Author "Ahiamadjie, H."
Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
Results Per Page
Sort Options
Item Characterization of Atmospheric Particulate Matter at E-Waste Landfill Site in Agbogbloshie, Accra(University of Ghana, 2017-07) Ahiamadjie, H.A year-long investigation has been carried out on atmospheric particulate matter (APM). Elemental composition,mass concentration, sources contributions and their ngerprints were determined in APM samples collected, in Agbogbloshie scrap market, between May 2010 and April 2011. PM2:5 and PM102:5 size fractions of APM were collected 24-hourly on 47 mm diameter nuclepore lters of pore sizes 0.4 μm and 8 μm respectively, using the Gent sampler. Gravimetric analyses were carried out to determine the APM mass concentrations. The minimum, maximum and annual mean mass concentration values for PM2:5 obtained for the sampling site throughout the period of investigation were 35.43 ( g=cm3), 349.68 ( g=cm3) and 88.62 ( g=cm3) respectively. For PM10��2:5, the minimum, maximum and annual mean mass concentration values obtained were 76.83( g=cm3), 448.67 ( g=cm3) and 138.31 ( g=cm3) respectively. These measured concentration levels are all substantially higher than the WHO, USEPA, EU, JAPAN EQS, UK National Air quality objective, World Bank and Canada air quality standards. Particle Induced X-Ray Emmission (PIXE), Particle Induced Gamma Emmission (PIGE) and Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) were used to determine elemental composition and concentration of the atmospheric particulate matter. The ve most abundant elements in coarse fraction PM102:5 are Si average 6545.05 (range: 261.3359950.56) ngm��3, Al average 3743.25 (range: 218.9424719.25) ngm��3, Fe average 12464.77 (range: 182.0818982.45) ngm��3 , Cl average 5918.47 (range: 587.76 15796.13) ngm��3, Na average 4040.17, (range: 418.2515010.32) ngm��3. In the ne fraction (PM2:5) concentrations reordered were in the following order: Si average 5466.44 (range: 1339.9361029.16) ngm��3 , Al average 3073.44 (range: 888.7425389.05) ngm��3, Fe average 1877.57 ( range : 769.2819569.65) ngm��3, Cl average 4972.86 (range: 1533.3616741.73) ngm��3, Na average 3163.27 (range: 1295.1515887.22) ngm��3. Enrichment Factor evaluation was rst used as one of the means to separate elements in terms of natural and anthropogenic sources. PMF was employed in ngerprint and source contributions identi cations, PMF resolved ve sources each for both PM2:5 and PM10��25. The following sources were identi ed for the PM2:5:E-waste burning (49%), Industrial activities (23%), vehicular tra c (16%), resuspended dust (7%) and sea spray (5%). In the coarse fraction, soil dust (45%),biomass burning (17%), Heavy oil burning (16%),sea spray (12%) and e-waste burning (10%) were apportioned. Natural sources (45%) were the major contributors in the coarse fraction while anthropogenic sources(88%) were the major contributors in the ne fraction. E-waste burning contributions were identied in both fractions. In this work, the following elements (Zn, As, Br, Sn, Cd, Hg, Pb) have been identi ed as ngerprint for e-waste burning and this source contributed 49% of the pollutants identied in the study area.Item Characterization of Atmospheric Particulate Matter at E-Waste Landfill Site in Agbogbloshie, Accra(University of Ghana, 2017-07) Ahiamadjie, H.A year-long investigation has been carried out on atmospheric particulate matter (APM). Elemental composition,mass concentration, sources contributions and their ngerprints were determined in APM samples collected, in Agbogbloshie scrap market, between May 2010 and April 2011. PM2:5 and PM102:5 size fractions of APM were collected 24-hourly on 47 mm diameter nuclepore lters of pore sizes 0.4 μm and 8 μm respectively, using the Gent sampler. Gravimetric analyses were carried out to determine the APM mass concentrations. The minimum, maximum and annual mean mass concentration values for PM2:5 obtained for the sampling site throughout the period of investigation were 35.43 ( g=cm3), 349.68 ( g=cm3) and 88.62 ( g=cm3) respectively. For PM10��2:5, the minimum, maximum and annual mean mass concentration values obtained were 76.83( g=cm3), 448.67 ( g=cm3) and 138.31 ( g=cm3) respectively. These measured concentration levels are all substantially higher than the WHO, USEPA, EU, JAPAN EQS, UK National Air quality objective, World Bank and Canada air quality standards. Particle Induced X-Ray Emmission (PIXE), Particle Induced Gamma Emmission (PIGE) and Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) were used to determine elemental composition and concentration of the atmospheric particulate matter. The ve most abundant elements in coarse fraction PM102:5 are Si average 6545.05 (range: 261.3359950.56) ngm��3, Al average 3743.25 (range: 218.9424719.25) ngm��3, Fe average 2464.77 (range: 182.0818982.45) ngm��3 , Cl average 5918.47 (range: 587.76 15796.13) ngm��3, Na average 4040.17, (range: 418.2515010.32) ngm��3. In the ne fraction (PM2:5) concentrations reordered were in the following order: Si average 5466.44 (range: 1339.9361029.16) ngm��3 , Al average 3073.44 (range: 888.7425389.05) ngm��3, Fe average 1877.57 ( range : 769.2819569.65) ngm��3, Cl average 4972.86 (range: 1533.3616741.73) ngm��3, Na average 3163.27 (range: 1295.1515887.22) ngm��3. Enrichment Factor evaluation was rst used as one of the means to separate elements in terms of natural and anthropogenic sources. PMF was employed in ngerprint and source contributions identi cations, PMF resolved ve sources each for both PM2:5 and PM10��25. The following sources were identi ed for the PM2:5:E-waste burning (49%), Industrial activities (23%), vehicular tra c (16%), resuspended dust (7%) and sea spray (5%). In the coarse fraction, soil dust (45%),biomass burning (17%), Heavy oil burning (16%),sea spray (12%) and e-waste burning (10%) were apportioned. Natural sources (45%) were the major contributors in the coarse fraction while anthropogenic sources(88%) were the major contributors in the ne fraction. E-waste burning contributions were identied in both fractions. In this work, the following elements (Zn, As, Br, Sn, Cd, Hg, Pb) have been identi ed as ngerprint for e-waste burning and this source contributed 49% of the pollutants identied in the study area.Item Elemental composition of vegetables cultivated in illegal mining towns in Ghana using neutron activation analysis(Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 2011-07) Ahiamadjie, H.; Serfor-Armah, Y.; Tandoh, J.B.; Gyampo, O.; Dampare, S.B.; Nyarko, B.J.B.The elemental concentrations of 12 elements from five species of the most consumed vegetables in Ghana cultivated in five mining and three non-mining towns have been analyzed using neutron activation analysis. About 50% of the total concentrations recorded for cadmium and arsenic for the various towns and vegetables were found to be above the World Health Organization (WHO) permissible levels. The statistical methods employed in this work also provided more understanding on the geographical distribution of the elements, vegetables and sampling towns. The principal component analysis of our data showed two major clusters consisting of gold mining towns and non-gold mining towns in relation to the elemental concentrations of vegetables cultivated in these towns. © 2011 Akadémiai Kiadó.Item Evaluation of trace elements contents in staple foodstuffs from the gold mining areas in southwestern part of Ghana using neutron activation analysis(Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 2011-06) Ahiamadjie, H.; Serfor-Armah, Y.; Tandoh, J.B.; Gyampo, O.; Ofosu, F.G.; Dampare, S.B.; Adotey, D.K.; Nyarko, B.J.B.Most studies in gold mining areas in Ghana have been concentrated on soil, sediment and atmospheric pollution, very limited work has been conducted on consumed crops. This work therefore aims at shedding more light on the effects of gold mining activities on selected consumed food crops ("Xanthosoma sagittifolium", "Colocasia esculenta", "Musa paradisiacal" and "Manihot Esculentus" in Ghana using Neutron Activation Analysis. Arsenic (As) recorded very alarming concentrations averaging about 6.37 mg/kg, which is twice WHO recommended levels for "Manihot esculentus", "Xanthosoma sagittifolium" and "Musa Paradisiacal" from Iduapriem Town. The distributions of the concentration of Mercury were more concentrated in the gold mining towns recording values exceeding WHO recommended values. This calls for a concerted effort to minimize the negative impacts of gold mining in the study area. The distribution of the various elemental concentration in various foodstuffs were accomplished by employing statistical methods like Cluster, Principal Component Analysis and Pearson correlation matrix. Statistically, two separate clusters was observed for foodstuffs from mining and non- mining towns. © 2011 Akadémiai Kiadó.Item The use of INAA technique in provenance studies of ancient pottery from the Greater Accra region of Ghana(Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 2010-06) Tandoh, J.B.; Nyarko, B.J.B.; Dampare, S.B.; Bredwa-Mensah, Y.; Gyampo, O.; Ahiamadjie, H.The field of Archaeological in Ghana has been in existence for a very long time, gaining respect in some areas in the West African sub-region. The history of some early societies in Ghana with relation to pottery making and its uses still has a lot to be discovered. Provenance or source analyses are vital in exchange studies by finding the sources of artifacts. Through characterization studies, archaeological materials can be shown to have originated from particular areas enabling archaeologists to demonstrate human interaction. The Ga (Ayawaso) and the Dangme-Shai had cultural contacts and trade with neighboring towns and with the various European factors that traded in the coasts of Accra. The archaeological material remains recovered from these communities (Ayawaso, Wullf and Shai) during excavation were investigated using Scientific Nuclear Analytical technique. In all, the concentrations of 15 trace elements (i.e. Ce, Co, Cr, Eu, Fe, Hf, La, Lu, Mn, Rb, Sc, Ta, Tb, V, Yb) were determined in 40 pottery samples and clay samples from Afuamang (Ayawaso) and Doryumu (Shai) using instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). Raw clay samples from Doryumu and Afuamang normalized perfectly with pottery samples from the Shai and Ayawaso Township, respectively. Pottery samples from Wullf also normalized well with clay from Afuamang than it did with those from Doryumu. This is construed that the Wullf community did not produced their own pots but traded more with the potters from Ayawaso which was the closest potting town. © 2010 Akadémiai Kiadó.