Studies on radon concentration in aqueous samples at Mysore city, India

Natural radionuclides are wide spread in air, water, soil, plants and in consequence in the human diet. Radon-222 is the daughter product of 226Ra which belongs to 238U radioactive series. The activity concentration of 222Rn has been analyzed in water samples collected from lakes, open wells, drilled wells, tap water and river in and around Mysore city, Karnataka State, India using radon emanometric technique. This element enters the human body through ingestion of water and inhalation, since alpha emitters are the most dangerous, studies of water for human consumption are very important. Radon activity concentration varies from 0.1 to 643.9 Bq/L with a geometric mean of 6.61 Bq/L. An annual effective dose varies from 03 to 823 μSv/y with a geo median of 9.4 μSv/y was estimated for the ingestion of 222Rn through water. (author)