ASSESSMENT OF RADON IN SOIL AND WATER IN DIFFERENT REGIONS OF KOLHAPUR DISTRICT, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

Radon concentration measurement and effective dose assessment in drinking groundwater for the adult population in the surrounding area of a thermal power plant

Radon in the household water collected from hand pumps is measured using a continuous radon monitor. Water samples are collected from 25 villages from the surrounding regions of the National Capital Power Cooperation (NTPC), Dadri. The radon concentration ranges from 17±1 to 68±3 Bql^-1 with a mean value of 33±13 Bql^-1. The measured radon concentration in all collected samples lies well within the limit of 100 Bql^-1as set by the World Health Organization (WHO). The mean values of the annual effective dose due to ingestion of radon and due to the inhalation of radon released from water are 84±33 and 167±65 μSvy^-1, respectively. In addition, the mean values of estimated total annual effective doses are found to be 167±65 μSvy^-1. The mean value of total annual effective doses is found to be higher than the reference dose level of 100 μSvy^-1 recommended by the WHO and the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effect of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR). The mean values of effective doses per annum to the lungs and stomach are 9.9±3.9 and 10.1±3.9 μSv, respectively.

Radon concentration and potential risks assessment through hot springs water consumption in the Gilgit and Chitral, Northern Pakistan

This study investigated the concentration of radon (²²²Rn) in hot springs water. For this purpose, ²²²Rn concentration was measured using the RAD7 (Durridge Company, USA) in the water of hot springs located in Tata Pani, Gilgit (n = 4), and Garam Chashma, Chitral (n = 6), northern Pakistan. Water samples from the springs (background, n = 3) were also collected and analyzed for ²²²Rn concentration 40-50 km away from the hot springs in Gilgit and Chitral, northern Pakistan, to be used as background/reference concentration. The determined ²²²Rn in hot springs water surpassed the threshold of maximum contamination level (MCL, 11.1 Bq/L) set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA) in 100% samples collected from Tata Pani, Gilgit, and Garam Chashma, Chitral sites. Soil ²²²Rn along with the hot springs exhibited a decreasing trend with increasing distance. ²²²Rn concentration in hot springs water was used to calculate the exposure doses of human health through ingestion and inhalation pathways. The total effective dose for human (E_WT) of ²²²Rn contaminated water consumption was 626 μSv/a in the Tata Pani, Gilgit and 34.7 μSv/a in the Garam Chashma, Chitral. Results revealed that hot springs water in the Tata Pani, Gilgit had surpassed the threshold limit (100 μSv/a) set by the World Health Organization (WHO). This study concluded that hot springs water should be avoided for drinking and other domestic uses.

Radon concentration in drinking water and soil after the September 24, 2019, Mw 5.8 earthquake, Mirpur, Azad Jammu, and Kashmir: an evaluation for potential risk

Radon (²²²Rn), a radioactive gas resulted from the natural decay of other radioactive elements, pose a threat to the exposed human population. Radon gas emits along the seismically active faults and increased the ²²²Rn contamination in sorrounding water and soil. This study investigated the concentration of ²²²Rn in drinking water and soil after the September 24, 2019, Mw 5.8 earthquake, Mirpur District, Azad Jammu, and Kashmir (AJK). For this purpose, water (n = 24) samples were collected from the bore wells of orderly located houses and soil field sampling (n = 12) along with the NE-SW directions of fracture in the Mirpur District. Determined ²²²Rn in drinking water surpassed the maximum contamination level (MCL, 11.1 kBq/m³) set by the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) in 83%, 50%, and 33% of the sampling point at the site I, site II, and site III, respectively. However, that of soil ²²²Rn concentration was observed with the normal range (10-50 kBq/m³). Potential exposure of ²²²Rn consumption in drinking water was the mean effective dose through ingestion (E_Wing, 0.003 ± < 0.001 mSv/a), the effective dose for inhalation (E_WInh, 0.038 ± 0.002 mSv/a), and the total effective dose of human (E_WT, 0.041 ± 0.002 mSv/a). Exposure values along with the rupture showed multifold higher risk values (up to 4 times) compared to background sites. These values were observed within the limits (0.1 mSv/a) set by World Health Organization (WHO); however, surpassed the thresholds of the United Nations Scientific Committee on the effects of atomic radiations (UNSCEAR) for all exposure pathways. This study concluded that groundwater in the close vicinity should be avoided or boiled before used for drinking purposes.