APPLICATION OF INSTRUMENTAL NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
APPLICATION OF INSTRUMENTAL NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
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Date
2015-01
Authors
MAMUNU, MUHAMMADU INUWA
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Abstract
The Sahara desert is the world‟s largest hot desert and one of the harshest environments on the planet Earth. Intense heating over the desert causes convective forces to uplift sand and dust particles into the atmosphere, and carried by north-east Trades (winds) to distant places worldwide. When it reaches Guinea Coast in West Africa, the prevailing wind is locally called the Harmattan. Ubiquitous deposition of the dust in Kano State (11o 59ʹ N, 8o30ʹE), is most eminent from November to March. Harmattan dust was, therefore, collected from 20 sites around Kano in January and February, 2009. The parameters established during the period included average gravimetric concentration of the dust, the absorbance of atmosphere, attmospheric turbidity, air density, absolute viscosity of air, and kinematic viscosity. The Coriolis force was also determined, while the average wind speed was found. In determining the turbulent nature of the wind, the Reynolds number was established; and the resulting wind power density during the season was computed. Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) technique was applied for elemental analysis of the Harmattan dust. And it was found to be composed of 21 elements which included Al, Ca, Fe, Mn, Mg, Na, Ti, K, Br, Cr, Zn and V. Other trace elements in the dust were Sb, La, Th, Co, Ta, Sm, Sc, and U. Aluminium, Calcium, and Iron featured prominently with concentrations above 1000 ppm in the dust. The health hazards of these elements in humans have been highlighted.
Description
A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA, NIGERIA; IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT FOR THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF PHILOSOPHY IN PHYSICS
DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS
FACULTY OF SCIENCE
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA, NIGERIA
Keywords
INSTRUMENTAL NEUTRON, ELEMENTAL CONSTITUENTS, PARAMETERS OF HARMATTAN DUST, KANO