Abstract

AlphaGUARD radon gas analyzer and NaI (Tl) spectrometer were used to measure the concentration levels of ²²²Rn and, ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, and ⁴⁰K respectively in 109 groundwater samples collected from four different districts in Qena governorate, Egypt. The average values of the activity concentration were 3.57 ± 0.08, 0.54 ± 0.03, 0.40 ± 0.03, and 5.10 ± 0.44 Bql⁻¹ for ²²²Rn, ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, and ⁴⁰K, respectively. The average values of ²²²Rn, ²²⁶Ra, and ²³²Th are lower than, 100, 1, and 1 Bql⁻¹, respectively, the WHO recommended permissible levels for drinking water. For radiation exposure assessment, the annual effective doses due to ingestion of ²²⁶Ra and ²³²Th and inhalation of ²²²Rn for adults were determined and compared with the reference limits. The annual effective doses due to ingestion 139.21–201.34 µSvy⁻¹ are higher than the public annual dose limit 100 µSvy⁻¹ recommended by WHO. These indicate that the ingestion of groundwater from the study areas might pose radiological health hazards.

摘要

使用AlphaGUARD gas气分析仪和NaI（Tl）光谱仪分别测量了从埃及Qena省四个不同地区收集的109个地下水样品中的²²² Rn和²²⁶ Ra，²³² Th和⁴⁰ K的浓度水平。对于²²² Rn，²²⁶ Ra，²³² Th和⁴⁰ K，活性浓度的平均值分别为3.57±0.08、0.54±0.03、0.40±0.03和5.10±0.44 Bql ^-1。²²² Rn，²²⁶ Ra和²³² Th的平均值低于100、1和1 Bql ^-1世卫组织分别建议了允许的饮用水水平。为了进行放射线暴露评估，确定了成年人因摄入²²⁶ Ra和²³² Th和吸入²²² Rn而产生的年度有效剂量，并将其与参考限值进行了比较。摄入引起的年度有效剂量139.21–201.34 µSvy ^-1高于WHO推荐的公共年度剂量限值100 µSvy ^-1。这些表明从研究区域摄入地下水可能构成放射线健康危害。