Evaluation of natural radioactivity levels and related radiological hazards in marine sediment samples taken from Ahanta West in the Gulf of Guinea, Ghana.

A baseline study was carried out to determine the activity concentrations of 238U, 232Th-decay series and 40K in marine sediment. Surface sediments were taken from 29 sample stations. The average activity concentrations(Bq kg−1) of 238U (20.2), 232Th (7.4) and 40K (70.0) were below the world average with an annual effective dose (43.07 µSv y−1) unlikely to pose significant radiological risk. The ERICA tool application confirmed the potential dose rate to marine biota from radioactivity in sediments is unlikely to pose an appreciable risk. The findings offer a crucial radiological risk profile characteristic that may be used to compare current radioactivity levels in marine ecosystems to those in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]