On the Natural Radioactivity of Waters in Hungary

Zsolt Kasztovszky1, Rudolf Kuczi2, Pável Szerbin3

1Department of Atomic Physics, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
2Lauder Radon Laboratory, Budapest, Hungary
3“Frédéric Joliot-Curie” National Research Institute for Radiobiology and Radiohygiene, Budapest, Hungary

(1)Corresponding author: Zsolt Kasztovszky
Department of Nuclear Physics, Institute of Isotopes
H-1525 Budapest, POB 77, Hungary
Phone: 00-361-275-43-47, Fax: 00-361-275-43-49

Abbreviations:
    ICRP: International Committee on Radiological Protection
    E Uni.: Eötvös Loránd University
    LSC: Liquid Scintillation Counting
    NRIRR:“Frédéric Joliot-Curie” National Research Institute for Radiobiology and Radiohygiene

CEJOEM 1996, 2(4):335-347


Abstract: Radon is a radioactive noble gas, a member of the 238U decay series. Soil contains a certain amount of radon, which can dissolve into the ground-water after diffusion through the pores of the soil. As a result of this process, in most of the underground waters different radon levels can be observed. Radon and radium concentrations were measured in waters of different origin and in well waters of Mátraderecske village, where strong radon flux from the ground was observed. The radon concentration measured in the water of the Rudas-spa was between 100 and 350 Bq/l, and some country wells show similar high values. In the case of human water consumption from these sources dose contribution of natural radioactivity should be taken into account to avoid unacceptable health risk to the public. Parallel to the water radioctivity measurements, radon in the air of dwellings, located close to the wells was measured. It was also found, that temporary values of radioactivity are probably influenced by several meteorological factors.

Key words: Natural radioactivity, radium, radon, soil, drinking-water, dwellings, liquid scintillation method, water consumption, dose limitation



ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The present work was partly supported by the Hungarian OTKA T 76030 project. We thank Esther Tóth and the people of Mátraderecske for their cooperation in the investigations in Mátraderecske.

Received: 30 September 1996
Accepted: 11 November 1996
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