Assessment of ²²⁶Ra, ²²⁸Ra and ²¹⁰Pb concentration in mineral waters from Parque das Águas de Lambari and Contendas, MG and evaluation of the committed effective doses

The exploration of several Brazilian hydromineral resorts, that have springs of radioactive mineral water consumed by the population support the relevance of the present work. This study is being developed in the IPEN with the aid of the responsible for Parque das Águas de Lambari and Contendas. Thereby, this work aims to determine the activity concentrations of ²²⁶Ra, ²²⁸Ra and ²¹⁰Pb to verify the influence of seasonality in these water parks springs. Thereunto, gross alpha and beta measurements were used after radiochemical separation for these radionuclides determination and measurement in a low background proportional detector. The results showed that Parque das Águas de Lambari presented highest concentration values when compared with Contendas. In Parque das Águas de Contendas , the highest concentration values were 77 ± 5 mBq/L and 129 ± 5 mBq/L for ²²⁶Ra for Gasosa II springs and ²²⁸Ra for Gasosa I spring, respectively, which correspond to the spring season; for ²¹⁰Pb, 27 ± 2 mBq/L for Magnesiana spring in the same season. In Parque das Águas de Lambari, the highest concentration values for ²²⁶Ra was 177 ± 2 mBq/L and for ²¹⁰Pb, 36 ± 2 mBq/L, both in the Magnesiana spring, for the summer season and 135 ± 5 mBq/L for ²²⁸Ra, in Magnesiana spring, for the spring season. The data were analyzed through descriptive and correlational statistical techniques. Therefore, it was possible to evaluate the committed effective doses due to the consumption of these waters and to assess the radiological risk for the radionuclides studied. (author)