Assessment of natural radionuclides content in groundwater around Hosur area of Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu

Groundwater is one of the important pathway to transfer radionuclides from environment to the human body through drinking. Uranium and its decay products are the most abundant radionuclides present in groundwater. These radionuclides are known to have potential health hazard to humans because of their chemical as well radio toxicity. A study has been attempted to find out U(nat.), ²²⁶Ra and other water quality parameters such as pH, Cl^- and hardness in groundwater in Hosur area, which is an industrial town of Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu. It is the largest town of Krishnagiri district with population of around 1.96 lakhs in urban agglomeration. A brief study has been carried out to understand the associated radiological hazards to the member of public due to intake of U(nat.) and ²²⁶Ra through drinking of groundwater and the generated data can be served as baseline for this area for future comparison and epidemiological study purposes if when it is required