Estimation of mean annual effective dose through radon concentration in the water and indoor air of Islamabad and Murree

Abstract

Different samples of water, indoor air and soil gas have been collected from Islamabad (33 degrees 38'N, 73 degrees 09'E, altitude of 1760 ft.), the capital of Pakistan and Murree (33 degrees 53'N, 73 degrees 23'E, altitude of 7323 ft.), lying on a geological fault line and are analysed for the estimation of mean effective dose through radon concentrations by using RAD-7, a solid state alpha-detector. The variation of radon concentration in water, indoor air and soil gas in Islamabad region ranges from 25.90-158.40 kBq m(-3), 43.26-97.04 Bq m(-3) and 17.34-72.52 kBq m(-3), having mean values 88.63 kBq m(-3), 70.67 Bq m(-3) and 45.08 kBq m(-3)(,) respectively. It ranges from 1.64-10.20 kBq m(-3), 18.48-42.08 Bq m(-3) and 0.61-3.89 kBq m(-3) with mean values 4.38 kBq m(-3), 28.63 Bq m(-3) and 1.70 kBq m(-3)(,) respectively in Murree and its surroundings. The total mean annual effective doses from water and indoor air of Islamabad and Murree regions are 2.023 and 0.733 mSv a(-1), respectively. These doses are within the recommended limits of the world organisations.

Radon concentration in drinking water sources of the region adjacent to a tectonically active Karak Thrust, southern Kohat Plateau, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

“…It is because of the fact that drinking water in Muree area is of surface origin (snow melt) from which radon has been degassed to the open air, thereby, lowering the value of radon level in the water. The mean radon concentration of 9.4 ± 0.4 Bq l -1 in the water samples of this study is substantially lower than the mean radon concentration of 88.63 ± 4.23 Bq l -1 in the drinking water samples of the capital territory of Islamabad, Pakistan [29]. The substantially higher radon concentration found in the drinking water samples from the underground sources (tube wells and boreholes) in Islamabad as compared to radon concentration in the drinking water sources of this study is due to the fact that a major thrust fault called the Main Boundary Thrust (MBT) and several minor tectonically active faults present within the area of Islamabad provide permeable and easy channel ways for the migration and easy escape of excessive radon from deeper sources to the underground water sources.…”

“…Our mean anural effective doses of 0.002 and 0.024 mSv a -1 due to ingestion and inhalation from radon in water are similar (within error limit) to the mean annual effective doses of 0.002 and 0.025 mSv a -1 of UNSCEAR due to ingestion and inhalation, respectively. In Table 3 radon concentrations and mean annual effective doses due to ingestion and inhalation from the drinking water sources of the study area have been compared with the results of similar studies conducted in the different regions and countries [29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37]. The mean radon concentration of 9.4 ± 0.4 Bq l -1 in the water samples of this study is higher than the mean radon concentration of 4.38 ± 0.44 Bq l -1 in drinking water samples of Murre area, Pakistan [29].…”

“…In Table 3 radon concentrations and mean annual effective doses due to ingestion and inhalation from the drinking water sources of the study area have been compared with the results of similar studies conducted in the different regions and countries [29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37]. The mean radon concentration of 9.4 ± 0.4 Bq l -1 in the water samples of this study is higher than the mean radon concentration of 4.38 ± 0.44 Bq l -1 in drinking water samples of Murre area, Pakistan [29]. It is because of the fact that drinking water in Muree area is of surface origin (snow melt) from which radon has been degassed to the open air, thereby, lowering the value of radon level in the water.…”

Annual effective dose of radon due to exposure in indoor air and groundwater in Bathinda district of Punjab

“…The range of soil radon gas concentration determined in Bathinda district lies within the range as reported by others. The range of radon concentration in soil of Bathinda district is lesser when compared with radon concentration reported in soil in Northwestern part of Bhilangana valley (India), 26 Murree (Pakistan) 28 and Jodan 29 but is higher than Hamirpur (India) 25 and Azad Kashmir (Pakistan). 27…”

Analysis of radon in shallow-well water: a case study at Phichit subdistrict in Songkhla province, Thailand

“…Knowledge of the levels of radon in each source including household water, particularly water from ground sources is necessary to protect the public from consequences of excessive exposure to radiations. Radon in water has been measured in many parts of the world due to the risk of radiation exposure from drinking water [7][8][9][10][11].…”