Natural radioactivity levels in different mineral waters from Bulgaria

The total radioactivity content of 76 mineral waters from different districts in Bulgaria was determined. Natural radioactivity levels resulting from uranium, radium-226, gross alpha and gross beta activity were measured. The results show that the specific activity range from < 0.02 Bq/l to 1.34 (12) Bq/l and from 0.068 (23) Bq/l to 2.60 (50) Bq/l for gross alpha and gross beta activity respectively. For natural Uranium the results vary between 0.020 (5) μg/l and 180(50) μg/l. Radium-226 content is between < 0.03 Bq/l to 0.296 (75) Bq/l. Due to differences in the geological structure of the aquifer, a large difference in values of the radioactive content was mSv/year. Excluding one value, TID do not exceed the permissible limit of 0.10 mSv/year. The correlations between investigated isotopes and Total Dissolved observed. The estimated Total Indicative Dose (TID) ranged from 0.0113 (57) mSv/year to 0.1713 (481) Solvents (TDS) in water were carried out. The results do not show a strong correlation between TDS values and dissolved radionuclides. (author)