Birhanu, Tsegaye Wores (2015) Elemental Analysis of Geological, Herbal and Food Samples Using Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA). PhD thesis, Addis Ababa University.
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Abstract
Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) is a nondestructive multi-elemental nuclear technique for determination of elemental and isotopic compositions. In this study, the Nigerian research reactor (NRR-1) based NAA was carried out with the the objective to find out scientific evidences on what essential and toxic isotopic compositions are available in Chilga Woreda soil, six endemic herbal plants and three finger millets. The results of soil analysis showed that the soil of Chilaga woreda is rich in soil nutrients. The richness of the soil in nutrients, however; has been affected due to the existence of high concentration contents of Al, Mn, Fe and H which cause the soil acidic. Similarly, the results obtained from the six different endemic medicinal plants showed that a total of 20 elements were quantified. Among which Mg, K, Ca, Cl, Al, Fe, Na, V, Mn and Zn are the most essential elements for the prevention and treatment of various human ailments such as asthma, headache, stomach ache, malaria, diabetes Mellituses, blood pressure, stroke, etc. Thus, this study supports the claims made by the traditional healers and the medicinal plants are potential candidates for developing new drugs except Artemisia Abyssinica that contains in excess concentration of Al, Fe and Na . It is also evidenced from results of finger millet analysis that white, black and mixed finger millets are rich in essential elements that have significant nutritional quality and medicinal properties as compared to Teff and other cereal crops. For instance, essential elements Cl, V and Rb which are present in finger millet are not present in Tef. The other problem that was assessed in this work is about the natural radioactivity of 238U, 232Th and 40K in rocks around Gondar city using the technique of NaI(Tl) gammaray spectrometry. The results obtained indicate the radiation hazards emanating from the natural radionuclides in the rocks, which are commonly used for house construction in the city, do have insignificant harm to the public except the rock from Debecha Rufauel.
| Item Type: | Thesis (PhD) |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | Q Science > Q Science (General) Q Science > QC Physics Q Science > QE Geology Q Science > QH Natural history > QH301 Biology |
| Divisions: | Africana |
| Depositing User: | Selom Ghislain |
| Date Deposited: | 20 Sep 2018 14:13 |
| Last Modified: | 20 Sep 2018 14:13 |
| URI: | http://thesisbank.jhia.ac.ke/id/eprint/5470 |
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