Evaluation of Committed Effective Dose of Radon Gas in Drinking Water in Al-Qadisiyah Province, Iraq

Abstract

Scientific research is giving interest in determining the concentrations of Radon in drinking water and sediments due to the occurrence of serious diseases related to this chemical element. The solubility of Radon in water (potable and underground) allows percolation in soils and rocks. The concentrations of Radon natural radioactivity were measured in drinking water and sediment at a wastewater treatment plant (Al-Diwaniyah, Iraq) using trace detector RAD7 and CR-39 (diffusion chamber, Landauer). Sampling was carried out at 20 samples (10 of drinking water and 10 of sediment). The results of radioactivity showed that the concentration of 222Rn in drinking water varies from 0.05 to 0.47 Bq/L, with an average of 0.24 Bq/L. However, the 222Rn concentrations in the sediment vary from 29.16 to 60.52 Bq/m3, with an average of 42.43 Bq/m3. From the results, it was possible to calculate the contribution of Radon to drinking water associated with age. The effective annual doses were found below the recommended limit. Radon concentrations in drinking water and sediment showed high levels of radioactivity compared to the natural limit. However, the same results indicated low radioactivity levels compared to the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation and the World Health Organization. In this way, all drinking water at these stations is safe to use.

Estimated concentration of Radon in Soil samples collected from Nasiriyah Governorate, Iraq, by using CR-39 detector

“…The detectors were cut (1 cm × 1 cm) and cultured in tubes measuring 7.5 cm in length and 5 cm in diameter. The reagents were stored for 70 days with the samples and then taken out for etching where the CR-39 reagents were etched with 6.25 mol/L NaOH solution at 70 °C for 6 h. Finally, all detectors were washed with distilled water and dried, and then a micro-optical microscope with 400X magnification was used to measure the number of tracks [15,16,17].…”

“…Where F is the equilibrium factor (0.4), H is the occupancy factor (0.8), T is the time (T=8760 h y -1 ), and D is the conversion factor (9×10 -6 ) mSv y -1 per Bq m -1 [16]. The lung dose rate has measured by the equation 4 [15].…”

Radon, Thoron and Polonium Concentrations Estimated in Building Materials Samples Collected from Al-Shatra, Dhi-Qar, Iraq

“…Inhalation of these radionuclides is the primary cause of ionizing radiation exposure for the population. Radon measurements are important since the radiation dosage to the human population from radon and its daughter accounts for more than half of the overall exposure from natural sources [3,4].The 222 Rn isotope is considered the most significant because of its relatively lengthy half-life than other radon isotopes. It decays into a sequence of short-lived daughters, including polonium 218 Po and polonium 214 Po, with energy of alpha particles of (6.003 MeV) and (7.68 MeV), respectively [5,6].…”