Radiological Risk Assessment due to Ingestion of some Bottled Drinking Water on the Ghanaian Market

Activity concentrations of the Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORMs) in some bottled drinking water brands obtained from some supermarkets in Accra were analyzed using gamma spectrometry.40 K activity concentrations were in the range of 3.57 - 5.47 Bq/L, the highest occurring in brand L9. Similarly,232 Th activity concentrations were in the range of 0.30 - 0.56 Bq/L with the highest occurring in brand L8. 226 Ra was identified in eleven brands with the remaining 5 below detection limit. The highest value (0.53 Bq/L) occurred in brand L9. Comparison of the mean concentrations showed significant differences at (α = 0.05) between the various brands of bottled water. Estimated committed effective doses were generally below 0.1 mSv/a for all age groups with the exception of children <1yr. Estimated lifetime cancer and hereditary risk were done using the ICRP risk assessment methodology

The future of African nowcasting

Nowcasting (weather forecasting predictions from zero to several hours) has enormous value and potential in Africa, where populations and economic activity are highly vulnerable to rapidly changing weather conditions. Timely issuing of warnings, a few hours before an event, can enable the public and decision-makers to take action. Rainfall radar estimates are not widely available in Africa, nor likely to be in the coming years, and numerical weather prediction (NWP) currently has low skill over the African continent. Therefore, for the delivery of nowcasting in Africa, satellite products are the best practical option and needed urgently (Roberts et al., 2021). Fifteen minute (or faster) updates of MSG (Meteosat Second Generation) images and NWC-SAF (Nowcasting Satellite Applications Facility) products are crucial for nowcasting to warn users (e.g. fisherfolk on Lake Victoria, flooding in urban areas, etc.) on pending severe storms. The possibility to have such products every 10 minutes, as well as data from the forthcoming MTG (Meteosat Third Generation) lightning imager, would be highly beneficial to all African countries, saving lives and livelihoods where high population growth and the most extreme impacts of climate change combine