A baseline study on anthropogenic radioactivity in the Namibian marine ecosystem, which is part of the northern Benguela upwelling system, known as one of the most productive ocean areas in the world, has been performed. A scientific cruise carried out in 2014 covering inshore and offshore areas, exhibiting different oceanographic features, has provided a basis for better understanding the distributions, ratios and inventories of six anthropogenic radionuclides (Sr, Cs, Pu, Pu, Pu and Am) in seawater. Although H was also measured, due to extremely low levels, its behaviour was not studied. The main source of Sr, Cs, Pu, Pu and Am in the samples analysed was proven to be global fallout, a finding further confirmed by Pu/Pu and Sr/Cs ratios. Furthermore, the Pu SNAP-9A satellite accident signal was confirmed once again through the determination of the Pu/Pu activity ratio. Inshore and offshore samples showed different patterns due to the unique oceanographic features of this upwelling system. The levels of anthropogenic radionuclides, comprehensively assessed for the first time in this region, are comparable with the few existing data and filled a critical gap for the Southern Atlantic Ocean.
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