Fission track estimation of uranium concentrations in drinking water from Azad Kashmir, Pakistan

Dose assessment from exposure to uranium and radon in groundwater in Safi province, Morocco

In this study we evaluate the uranium and radon concentrations in groundwater from the Province of Safi. The samples were collected from 58 wells across five communes and analyzed using the LR-115 type II detector. Results indicate that uranium concentrations ranged from the Limit of Detection (LLD) to 3.73 µg/l, with a mean of 0.72 µg/l, well below the World Health Organization's safe limit of 30 µg/l. Radon levels varied from LLD to 2.39 Bq/l, with an average of 0.60 Bq/l, also below the United States Environmental Protection Agency's limit of 11 Bq/l. The estimated total annual effective dose due to uranium and radon ranged from 3.47 to 18.84 µSv/y, with an average of 7.54 µSv/y, which is significantly lower than the European Commission's recommended limit of 100 µSv/y. This investigation represents the first study of uranium and radon levels in groundwater in the Province of Safi, providing valuable data for future research and public health.

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.

An overview of radioactivity measurement studies in Pakistan

In our environment, various naturally occurring radionuclides are present (both underground and overground) in several places, which results in lifelong human exposure. The radiation dose received by human beings from the radiation emitted by these naturally occurring radionuclides is approximately 87%. Exposure to radiation poses radiological health hazards. To assess the human health hazards from radiation, the concentration of these naturally occurring radionuclides are measured in soil (used for cultivation), building materials (soil, bricks, sand, marble, etc.), water and dietary items, worldwide. The available literature revealed that numerous studies related to the subject have been carried out in Pakistan. Most of these studies measured the radioactivity concentrations of primordial [uranium (238U), thorium (232Th), radium (226Ra) and potassium (40K)] and anthropogenic [cesium (137Cs)] radionuclide in soil samples (used for cultivation), fertilizers, building materials (i.e. bricks, rocks, sand, soil, marble, etc.), as well as water and dietary items, using a sodium iodide detector or high purity germanium. An effort was made in 2008 to compile these studies as a review article. However, since then, considerable studies have been undertaken and reported in the literature. Therefore, the main objective of the present article is to provide a countrywide baseline data on radionuclide levels, by overviewing and compiling the relevant studies carried out in Pakistan.

Natural radioactivity measurements in Pakistan--an overview

Humans have always been exposed throughout their period of existence to naturally occurring ionising radiation. Specifically, naturally occurring radionuclides are present in variable amounts in our environment. To assess radiological health hazards, naturally occurring radionuclides are being measured in soil, sand, marble, bricks etc throughout the world. In this regard, extensive data have been reported for Pakistan, which have been compiled and reviewed in this article. The majority of the reported articles are about monitoring of the radiological health hazards of naturally occurring radionuclides. In a few articles, use of the radionuclides has been reported for the exploration of uranium and thorium deposits. Most of the reported data have been obtained using a high purity germanium detector or a sodium iodide detector.