Radiogenic Heat Production in Selected River Sediments of Bungoma County, Kenya

Michael Nakitare Waswa & Mukanda Kere Wanyama

Department of Science, Technology & Engineering; Kibabii University, 1699-50200 Bungoma

Abstract

This study is aimed at investigating the radiogenic heat production in the sediment samples using measurements of primordial radionuclide concentrations of uranium,  thorium, and potassium in the major rivers of Bungoma County, Kenya.  A gamma-ray spectrometer is used to obtain varied data on naturally occurring radionuclides in the samples from the ten rivers and reveals the contents and the distribution of the radioactive elements. The results show that the contribution and rate of heat production of 40-K, 238-U, and 232-Th in the samples vary significantly with geological locations, with 232Th and 40K as the major elements that predominate in heat production in the study area, with 238U also contributing significantly. The mean heat produced by uranium,  thorium, and potassium is 321.0223×10^-5ρwkg^-1, 7772.659×10^-5ρwkg^-1 and 7196.131×10^-5ρwkg^-1respectively. The total heat produced in the study area varied from  9.191292×10^-5ρwkg^-1  to  63408.01×10^-5ρwkg^-1,  which can classify the study area as Low-to-Moderate  Heat  Production  Potential zone. 

Keywords

radiogenic heat production; primordial radionuclides; gamma-ray spectrometry.

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