Determination of selected elements in red, brown and green seaweed species for monitoring pollution in the coastal environment of Ghana

The concentrations of 23 elements, namely Al, As, Br, Ca, Cd, Cl, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hf, Hg, I, K, La, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Sc, Sm, V, and Zn, in seven Rhodophyta (red), three Phaeophyta (brown) and five Chlorophyta (green) seaweed species from different areas along the coast of Ghana were determined using instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). These species can be potentially used as biomonitors. The INAA method involved irradiations using thermal and epithermal neutrons at the Dalhousie University SLOWPOKE-2 Reactor (DUSR) facility followed by conventional and anti-coincidence γ-ray spectrometry. The precision in terms of relative standard deviation was within ±4%. The accuracy of the methods was evaluated by analyzing four reference materials. Our results were within ±3% of the certified or information values in all cases. (author)