Evaluation of Natural Radionuclide Content in Potable Water in some Communities in Abuakwa South Municipality, Ghana

Assessment of potable radionuclides in Abuakwa South

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4314/hfz3p170

Keywords:

Committed effective dose, health hazard, lifetime cancer, radioactivity

Abstract

This research investigates naturally occurring radionuclides in household water supplies in some communities in Abuakwa South Municipality, Eastern region, Ghana, to provide understanding of probable radionuclide point sources in the region. Gamma spectrometry was used to determine the amounts of radionuclides (238U, 232Th, and 40K) in water from hand-dug wells, boreholes, and pipe-borne sources. These concentrations were used to compute the excess lifetime risk and the annual committed effective dose. The study found differences in excess lifetime risk and annual committed effective dose among the different sampling locations. The Bunso pipe and well had higher doses, resulting in an increased excess lifetime risk. The average excess lifetime risk for all locations was 503.7 x 10-6. The WHO average of 0.1 mSv/y for water was surpassed by the average yearly committed effective dosage, especially for infants below 1 year, and therefore suggests consumption of water in the area may pose a radiological risk. The Environmental Protection Agency and Abuakwa South Municipal should prioritise monitoring and mitigating risks in areas with elevated excess lifetime risk. Public awareness campaigns should be implemented to educate communities about the potential long-term health risks associated with drinking water from specific sources.

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Author Biographies

  • Evans Asamoah, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana

    Evans Asamoah is an Assistant Lecturer at Abetifi Presbyterian College of Education, Abetifi–Kwahu, Ghana, with over ten years of experience in teacher education. He specializes in science and environmental studies, with teaching and research interests in environmental physics, radiation safety, and sustainable education practices. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Environmental Physics at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology KNUST, Kumasi. Evans holds an M.Sc. in Environmental Science from KNUST and a B.Ed. in Science from the University of Cape Coast. He is passionate about learner-centered pedagogy and believes that education should be practical, inclusive, and responsive to community

  • Christiana Subaar, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana

    Dr. Christiana Subaar is a Senior Lecturer and Medical Physicist in the Department of Physics at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana. Her research focuses on radiation safety, pathophysiology, and environmental radiological risk assessment, with expertise in medical imaging, radiation dosimetry, radiation therapy, and the evaluation of natural and anthropogenic radionuclides in the environment. She is a member of the Ghana Science Association (GSA) and the Ghana Society for Medical Physics (GSMP), and collaborates with research institutions and scientific organizations worldwide. Her research objectives are to promote the safe and effective use of medical imaging and radiation technologies, optimize imaging and treatment protocols, minimize radiation risks, assess radiological exposure from environmental and water sources, enhance patient care, and advance clinical excellence through innovative research.

  • Joseph Ofori Amanfo, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana

    Joseph Amanfo Ofori is a PhD student in Nuclear Science and Technology at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana. His research focuses on environmental radioactivity, radiation protection, and the analysis of natural and anthropogenic radiation sources. Joseph has a strong interest in nuclear applications for public health, environmental monitoring, and sustainable development. His academic goal is to develop innovative methodologies for assessing environmental radioactivity and associated health risks. Beyond academia, he is passionate about scientific communication and inspiring the next generation of radiation scientists.

  • Ezekiel Amarh Ashai, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana

    Ezekiel Amarh Ashai holds Mphil in Nuclear Science and technology and currently a nuclear security officer at Wemafrika. He is a bold ambassador for Christ and a proud CHEMUCAN.

  • Eric Clement Kotei Addison, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana

    Prof. Eric Clement Desmond Kotei Addison is a prominent Medical Physicist and academic at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi, Ghana. He serves as the Head of Medical Physics unit and a member of the Governing Board at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH). He is the Board Chair of the Allied Health Professions Council (AHPC). His academic and clinical research focuses on the application of physics concepts in medicine. His primary research areas include Medical Physics, Radiobiology, Radiation Safety and Dosimetry.

  • David Dotse Wemegah, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana

    Prof. David Dotse Wemegah is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana. He specializes in applied geophysics with research interests in electrical resistivity, induced polarization, magnetic methods, hydrogeophysics, and mineral and environmental geophysics. He has extensive field experience conducting geophysical investigations for groundwater exploration, environmental assessment, and mineral deposits. Prof. Wemegah has supervised numerous undergraduate and graduate researchers and is recognized for his strong commitment to geophysics education and capacity-building in Ghana.

  • Francis Kofi Ampong, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana

    Prof. Francis Kofi Ampong is a Professor in the Department of Physics at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi. His research focuses on the synthesis and characterization of inorganic nanomaterials and their opto-electronic properties for solar cell applications. His broader research interests include nanomaterials for water and wastewater treatment, magnetic properties of materials, and optical properties of crystalline systems. Prof. Ampong has published extensively in reputable international journals, with significant contributions to solar cell materials research. He has supervised over fifty undergraduate projects and a number of MPhil students and PhD candidates.

  • Eric Kwabena Kyeh Abavare , Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana

    Professor Eric K. K. Abavare graduated from the Department of Physics in 2001 with a BSc (Hons.), Second-Class Upper Division in Physics at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).  Following two years of research at the Fraunhofer Institute of Machine Tools in Chemnitz in Germany, he pursued his MSc in Applied Physics at the University of Central Lancashire, Preston, England, in 2003.  In 2004, he was appointed as a Lecturer in the Department of Physics at KNUST and taught for a while before proceeding to his doctoral studies at Tsukuba University in Japan, in Professor Atsushi Oshiyama's group in Tokyo University, Hongo-Sanchome, and obtained a PhD in Frontier Science in Tsukuba University in 2012.  His research over the years has focused on electronic structure calculations for next-generation semiconductors and photovoltaic materials. He has published extensively in prestigious international journals and served as a reviewer for some of them.

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Published

06/24/2026

Issue

Vol. 44 No. 3 (2026)

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Copyright (c) 2026 Evans Asamoah, Christiana Subaar, Joseph Ofori Amanfo, Ezekiel Amarh Ashai, Eric Clement Kotei Addison, David Dotse Wemegah, Francis Kofi Ampong, Eric Kwabena Kyeh Abavare

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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How to Cite

Evaluation of Natural Radionuclide Content in Potable Water in some Communities in Abuakwa South Municipality, Ghana: Assessment of potable radionuclides in Abuakwa South. (2026). Journal of Science and Technology, 44(3), 40-49. https://doi.org/10.4314/hfz3p170

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