Abstract
Measurements of 222Rn, 226Ra and 228Ra concentration in a total of 19 different well waters sampled collected from Al-Jawa, Saudi Arabia were investigated. The concentrations of 222Rn were measured by RAD7 H2O technique. The concentration of 226 Ra and 228Ra were measured using gamma spectrometry preceded by ion exchange chromatography separation. It was found that the concentration of 222Rn ranged from 1.45 ± 1.19 to 9.15 ± 1.55 Bq L−1. These values are below 11 Bq L−1 the maximum contamination level recommended from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The range of 226Ra concentration are 0.012 ± 0.001 to 0.59 ± 0.049 Bq L−1 with average value 0.29 ± 0.025 Bq L−1. The range of 228Ra concentration are 0.062 ± 0.007 to 2.12 ± 0.08 Bq L−1 with average value 0.86 ± 0.029 Bq L−1.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Akari Urkiye, Gurler Orhan, Kahraman Aysegul, Yalcin Sezai, Kaynak Gokay, Gundogdu Ozcan (2012) Measurements of radium levels in bottled natural spring water of Marmara region (Turkey). Rom J Phys 57(7–8):1204–1210
Duenas C, Fernandez MC, Carretero Liger E, Canete S (1999) 226Ra and 222Rn concentrations and doses in bottled waters in Spain. J Environ Radioctivity 45:283–290
Xinwei L (2006) Analysis of radon concentration in drinking water in Baoji (CHINA) and the associated health effects. Radiat Prot Dosim 121:452–455
Damla N, Çevik U, Karahan G, Tıraşoğlu E, Kobya, A İ, Çelebi N (2005) Doğu Karadeniz Bölgesi İçme Sularında 222Rn Analizi. Ulusal su günleri sempozyumu, 264–266
Wallner G, Steininger G (2007) Radium isotopes and 222Rn in Austrian drinking waters. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 274:511–516
Moldovan M, Cosma C, Encian I, Dicu T (2009) Radium-226 concentration in Romanian bottled mineral waters. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 279:487–491
BRGM (1985) Saq aquifer quality. Report prepared for Ministry of Agriculture. Saudi Arabia
APHA (1998) Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater, 20th ed. American Public Health Association/American Water Works Association/Water Environment Federation, Washington Benton Jones B. Soil Analysis Handbook of Reference Methods
El-Shrakawy A, Ebaid YY, Burnett WC, Aldaihan SK (2013) A rapid and inexpensive method for 226Ra and 228Ra measurements of high TDS groundwaters. Appl Rad Isot 77:89–93
El-Taher A (2012) Radon and its decay products in underground water from Qassim and its radiation hazards. Journal of environmental science and technology. J Environ Sci Technol 5(6):475–481
El-Taher A, Madkour HA (2014) Environmental studies and radio-ecological impacts of Anthropogenic areas: shallow marine sediments Red Sea, Egypt. J Isot Environ Health Stud 50:120–133
El-Taher A, Madkour HA (2011) Distribution and environmental impacts of metals and natural radionuclides in marine sediments in-front of different wadies mouth along the Egyptian Red sea coast. J Appl Radiat Isot 69:550–558
IAEA (1989) “Facts about low level radiation”, IAEA/PI/A9E 85-00740.Edited by American Nuclear Society
Nazaroff WW, Nero V (1988) Radon and its decay products in indoor air”. John Wiley, New York
Kant K, Kuriakose Rashmi Sini, Sonkawade RG, Chauhan RP, Chakarvarti SK, Sharma GS (2010) Radon activity and exhalation rates in Indian fly ash samples. Indian J Pure Appl Phys 48:457
Alam MN, Chowdhry MI, Kamal M, Ghose S, Islam MN, Awaruddin M (1999) Radiological assessment of drinking water of the Chittagong region of Bangladesh. Radiat Prot Dosim 82:207–214
Somashekar RK, Ravikumar P (2010) Radon concentration in groundwater of Varahi and Markandeya river basins, Karnataka State, India. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 285:343–351
UNSCEAR (1993) United Nations Scientific Committee on the effects of atomic radiation sources and effect of ionizing radiation. United Nations, New York
Cevik U, Daml N, Karahan G, Celebi N, Kobya AI (2006) Natural radioactivity in tap waters of eastern black sea region of Turkey. Radiat Prot Dosim 118:88–92
WHO (2008) (World Health Organization) Guidelines for drinking water quality, vol 1. WHO Recommendations, Geneva
EPA (1991) (US Environmental Protection Agency) (1991) National primary drinking water regulations; radionuclides; proposed rules. Federal register, 56(138)
Ramola RC, Choubey VM, Saini NK, Bartarya SK (1999) Occurrence of radon in the drinking water of Dehradun City, India. Indoor Built Environ 8(1):67–70
Borio R, Rongoni A, Saetta DMS, Desideri D, Roselli C (2005) Radon and tritium measurements in drinking water in a region of central Italy (Umbria). J Radioanal Nucl Chem 266(3):397–403
Landstetter C, Katzlberger C (2009) Determination of 3H, 226Ra, 222Rn and 238U in Austrian ground- and drinking water. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 282:467–471
UNSCEAR (2000) Sources, effects and risks of ionizing radiation. United Nations, New York, pp 1–35
Tadeusz A, Kozlowska Przylibski Jerzy Dorda Beata (2000) The occurance of Ra and Ra in groundwater’s of the Polish Surety mountains. Nucleonika 47(2):59–64
EPA (2000) Environmental Protection Agency. National primary drinking water regulations; radionuclides, proposed rule. Federal Regist. 65(78)
Singh J, Singh H, Singh S, Bajwa B (2009) Estimation of uranium and radon concentration in some drinking water samples of Upper Siwaliks, India. Environ Monit Assess 154:15–22
Marques AL, Santos WD, Geraldo LP (2004) Direct measurements of radon activity in water from various natural sources using nuclear track detectors. Appl Radiat Isot 60:801–804
Yalim HA, Sandikcioglu A, Unal R, Orhun O (2007) Measurements of radon concentrations in well waters near the Aks¸ehir fault zone in Afyonkarahisar, Turkey. Radiat Meas 42:505–508
Villalba L, Sujo LC, Cabrera MEM, Jimenez AC, Villalobos MR, Mendoza CJD, Tenorio LAJ, Rangel ID, Peraza EFH (2005) Radon concentrations in ground and drinking water in the state of Chihuahua, Mexico. J Environ Radioact 80:139–151
D’Alessandro W, Vita F (2003) radon measurements in the Mt Etna area. J Environ Radioact 65:187–201
Alabdula’aly AI (1999) Occurrence of radon in the central region groundwater of Saudi Arabia. J Environ Radioact 44:85–95
Bem H, Plota U, Staniszewska M, Bem EM, Mazurek D (2014) Radon (222Rn) in underground drinking water supplies of the Southern Greater Poland Region. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 299:1307–1312
Corrêa J N, Paschuk S A, Kappke J, Perna, A F N, França A C, Schelin H R, Denyak V (2014) Measurements of 222Rn activity in well water of the Curitiba metropolitan area (Brazil). Radiation Physics and Chemistry
Rani A, Mehra R, Duggal V (2013) Radon monitoring in groundwater samples from some areas of northern Rajasthan, India, using a RAD7 detector. Radiat Prot Dosim 153:496–501
Ravikumar P, Somashekar RK (2014) Determination of the radiation dose due to radon ingestion and inhalation. Int J Environ Sci Technol 11:493–508
Shabana EI, Abulfaraj WH, Kinsara AA, Abu Rizaiza OS (2013) Natural radioactivity in the groundwater of Wadi Nu’man, Mecca Province, Saudi Arabia. Radiochim Acta 101:461–469
Wen T, Du J, Ji T, Wang X, Deng B (2014) Use of 222Rn to trace submarine groundwater discharge in a tidal period along the coast of Xiangshan, Zhejiang, China. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 299:53–60
Vesterbacka P, Ma¨kela¨inen I, Arvela H (2005) Natural radioactivity in drinking water in private wells in Finland. Radiat Prot Dosim 113(2):223–232
Isam Salih MM, Pettersson HBL, Lund E (2002) Uranium and thorium series radionuclides in drinking water from drilled bedrock wells: correlation to geology and bedrock radioactivity and dose estimation. Radiat Prot Dosim 102(3):249–258
Gans I, Fusban H U, Wollenhaupt H, Kiefer J, Globel B, Berlich (1987) Radium 226 und andere naturliche Radionuklide im Trinkwasser und in Getranken in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. WaBoLu-Hefte 4/87, Institut fur Wasser- Boden- und Lufthygiene des Bundesgesundheitsamtes
Fernandez F, Lozano JC (1992) Natural radionuclides in ground water in western Spain. Radiat Prot Dosim 45(1/4):227–229
Zhuo W, Iida T, Yang X (2001) Occurrence of 222Rn, 226Ra, 228Ra and U in groundwater in Fujian Province, China. J Environ Radioact 53:111–120
Almeida RMR, Lauria DC, Ferreira AC, Sracek O (2004) Groundwater radon, radium and uranium in Regiao dos Lagos, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. J Environ Radioact 73(3):323–334
Vesterbacka P, Turtianen S, Heinavaara S, Arvela H (2006) Activity concentration of 226Ra, 228Ra in drilled well water in Finland. Radiat Protec Dosim 121:406–412
Deflorin O, Surbeck H (2004). Natu¨rliche Radionuklide in Grundwa¨ssern des Kantons Graubunden. In: Volkle H, Gobet M (eds) Umwelt radioaktivitat und Strahlendosen in der Schweiz 2003, Bundesamt fur Gesundheit, Bern
Acknowledgments
The authors thank Deanship of Scientific Research at Qassim University for financial support under contract No. SR-D-012-1986. Authors also would like to thank Water and Electricity Ministry Branch in Qassim Region for cooperation in measuring Radium concentrations.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Althoyaib, S.S., El-Taher, A. Natural radioactivity measurements in groundwater from Al-Jawa, Saudi Arabia. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 304, 547–552 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-014-3874-7
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-014-3874-7