A survey of 222Rn in drinking water in mexico city

In Mexico City there are more than 22 millions of inhabitants (10 in the metropolitan area and 12 in the suburban zone) exposed to drinking water. The local epidemiological authorities recognised that exposure to radon contaminated drinking water is a potential health hazard, as has been considered worldwide. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a limit of 11.1 Bq l-1 for the radon level in drinking water. In Mexico a maximum contamination level of radon in drinking water has not yet even considered. In this work, a 222Rn study of drinking water in Mexico City has revealed a range of concentrations from background level to 3.8 Bq l-1. 222Rn was calculated using a portable degassing system (AquaKIT) associated with an AlphaGUARD measuring system. Samples from 70 wells of the water system of the south of the Valley Basin of Mexico City and from houses of some other political administrative divisions of Mexico City were taken. (authors)