Comprehensive review study on radon in water from different regions of India

The harmful effects of radon have been reported in numerous studies throughout the world. Radon in water is one of the leading causative factors of lung and stomach cancer. Measurement of radon levels in drinking water have been carried out over different regions of the globe including India. Its health effects also been considered during such studies. The present study comprises the detailed review of radon in potable water studies carried out in different region of India. Based on the geological conditions, the study locations in present study are categorized into three groups: Himalayan zone, plane zone, and coastal zone. The present review study indicates that the value of radon levels in drinking water ranges from 15 Bq l^-1 (Una district of HP) to 45 Bq l^-1 (Mandakini valley of Garhwal Himalayas) from Himalay zone, 3.70 Bq l^-1 (Kolhapur district of Maharashtra) to 32.98 Bq l^-1 (Haryana) from Plane zone and 4.52 Bq l^-1 (Amreli region of Saurashtra, Gujarat) to 111 Bq l^-1 (Ajodhya Hill area of West Bengal) from coastal zone. The results have been compared among three zones, the highest values of radon in drinking water were observed highest for coastal zone. (author)