Estimation of ambient gamma radiation dose and drinking water radon concentration in coastal taluks of Uttara Kannada district, Karnataka

Radioactivity concentration levels and potential radiotoxicity risk assessment of aquatic superfoods case study of algae supplements

It has been found that algae have a variety of health benefits, although investigations showed that they contain radiotoxic elements, including 226Ra, 232Th, 40K, and 137Cs, which may affect human health. This study is connected to activity concentration measurements of the above radionuclides in the algae supplements available in the Middle East markets. The annual effective radiation doses of measured radionuclides in analyzed algal supplements have been calculated. The highest values of annual effective doses have been estimated for 226Ra in Ecklonia (13.39 μSv/y) and for 232Th in Red Marine Algae (11.80 μSv/y), both from South Korea. In algal "superfoods", the effective dose of 137Cs is not significantly affected by the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant. Based on these results, it can be concluded that the activity levels of radionuclides are low, the naturally occurring radionuclides provide the most effective doses, and algae supplements can be considered safe.

Analysis of radon concentrations in drinking water in coastal regions of Karnataka, South India

The measurements of radon activity in water samples from several parts of Karnataka were studied. Drinking water quality is a routine tool in health and environmental research. Radon exposure puts the entire public at risk for radiological damage through inhalation and ingestion. Radon concentrations were measured using the emanometry technique. Estimated 222Rn activity concentration in water has been found to vary from 2.05 to 28.02 Bq l-1 with an average value of 7.38 Bq l-1. For all samples under study, the total average annual effective doses are much less than the safe limit of 100 μSv y-1.

Evaluation of Radiological Health Risks in Popularly Consumed Brands of Sachet Water in Nigeria

Radiological investigation of 35 brands of most popularly used sachet drinking water in Ondo state, Nigeria has been carried out using a spectrometric method for evaluating the concomitant health risks to the members of the public. Activity concentrations of the investigated radionuclides ⁴⁰K, ²²⁶R, and ²²⁸Ra were in the range from 16.35 ± 4.10 to 199.94 ± 38.40 Bq L⁻¹ with an arithmetic mean (AM) of 66.22 ± 54.99 Bq L⁻¹, from 1.35± 0.79 to 17.06 ± 5.13 Bq L⁻¹ with an AM of 6.88 ± 3.66 Bq L⁻¹, and from 1.95 ± 0.08 to 17.22 ± 3.87 Bq L⁻¹ with an AM of 9.49 ± 4.98 Bq L⁻¹, respectively. The determined annual effective doses and the corresponding excess lifetime cancer risks due to ²²⁶Ra and ²²⁸Ra were found to exceed the acceptable limits of 0.1 mSv y⁻¹ and 10⁻³ respectively, as suggested by the World Health Organization (WHO). This implies a non-negligible carcinogenic health hazard due to the intake of the surveyed drinking water, especially for the lactating babies (0–1) y and teenagers (12–17) y. The data from this research may form an invaluable component of radiometric values of the database in Nigeria, as well as the world for setting up guidelines and control policies for the use of sachet water.

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.

Influences of COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on excess lifetime cancer risk value of natural radiation

Abstract

This study focuses on the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on annual effective doses and excess lifetime cancer risk values due to ionizing radiation and radon which has been reported UNSCEAR 2000. The random data collection questionnaire method was applied to assess the indoor and outdoor occupancy factor for three age groups during the epidemic in Turkey. The results indicated age group C (Age > 65 y) has more influence from pandemic indoor and outdoor occupancy factor. As compared to before pandemic data in study area and global average exposure to natural radioactive sources.

Graphic abstract

Dose estimation of radioactivity in groundwater of Srinagar City, Northwest Himalaya, employing fluorimetric and scintillation techniques

The research is a maiden study aimed to assess the radioactivity in groundwater of Srinagar City using uranium and radon as proxies. In this study, 60 water samples were collected from various water sources that include bore wells, hand pumps and lakes of Srinagar City. Among them, 45 samples were taken from groundwater with depths ranging from 6 to - 126 m and the rest of the 15 samples were collected from surface sources like lakes, rivers and tap water. A gamma radiation survey of the area was carried out prior to collection of water samples, using a gamma radiation detector. A scintillation-based detector was utilized to measure radon, while as LED fluorimetry was employed to assess uranium in water samples. The average uranium concentration was found to be 2.63 μg L^-1 with a maximum value of 15.28 μg L^-1 which is less than the globally accepted permissible level of 30 µg L^-1. ²²²Radon concentration varied from 0.2 to 38.5 Bq L^-1 with an average value of 8.9 Bq L^-1. The radon concentration in 19 groundwater samples (32% of total sites) exceeded the permissible limits of 11 Bq L^-1 set by USEPA. This information could be of vital importance to health professionals in Kashmir who are researching on the incidence of lung cancers in the region given the fact that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancers after smoking worldwide.