Radon in water - hydrogeology and health implication

Abstract

© 2015 by Nova Science Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Radon presence in the environment is associated mainly with trace amounts of uranium and radium in rocks and soil. Underground rock containing natural uranium continuously releases radon into water in contact with it (groundwater). When groundwaters reach the surface, in spas, wells or springs, the radon concentrations decrease sharply with the water movement and with purification treatment. But if the water is consumed directly from the point of emergence, as is habitual in rural sites, the time is often not long enough to prevent the health risks associated with its short-lived daughters. Hence, there is a need to determine the radon activity concentrations in groundwaters used directly (or indirectly through irrigation) and to estimate the doses received by the public consuming these waters. The risk due to radon in drinking-water derived from groundwater is typically low compared with that due to total inhaled radon but is distinct, as exposure occurs through both consumption of dissolved gas and inhalation of released radon and its daughter radionuclides. Moreover, the use of radoncontaining groundwater supplies not treated for radon removal (usually by aeration) for general domestic purposes will increase the levels of radon in the indoor air, thus increasing the dose from indoor inhalation. Radon analyses of groundwater samples can - beside the health implications - supply useful information for hydrogeological and hydrological purposes, groundwater quality (missing or existence of a protective soil cover), infiltration and exfiltration of groundwater, and age determinations of groundwater after seepage.