Neutron activation analysis for some toxic elements in the hair of some galamsée workers in Ghana

Abstract

Hair samples of 26 workers involved in small scale gold mining, popularly called “Galamsée,” have been analysed using thermal NAA for mercury and other elements including As and Sb, all considered as toxic. The following elements have been found in these hair samples Hg. As, Sb, Sm, Ho, Zn, La, Na, K, Au and Br. Similarly, hair analysis of 10 non-galamsée workers, for control and comparison, using the same NAA technique yielded the following elements: Ho, Zn, Na, K and Br.

JOURNAL OF THE GHANA SCIENCE ASSOCIATION Volume 2 No. 1 (2000) pp. 39-44