Exposure assessment of radon in the drinking water supplies: A descriptive study in Palestine

被引：1

作者：

Hamzeh Al Zabadi

Samar Musmar

Shaza Issa

Nidal Dwaikat

Ghassan Saffarini

机构：

[1] Public Health and Community Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus

[2] Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus

[3] Radiation Physics Laboratory, An-Najah National University, Nablus

来源：

BMC Research Notes | / 5卷 / 1期

关键词：

Radon; Radon Concentration; Thoron; Indoor Radon; Maximum Contaminate Level;

D O I：

10.1186/1756-0500-5-29

中图分类号：

学科分类号：

摘要：

Background: Radon gas is considered as a main risk factor for lung cancer and found naturally in rock, soil, and water. The objective of this study was to determine the radon level in the drinking water sources in Nablus city in order to set up a sound policy on water management in Palestine. Methods. This was a descriptive study carried out in two phases with a random sampling technique in the second phase. Primarily, samples were taken from 4 wells and 5 springs that supplied Nablus city residents. For each source, 3 samples were taken and each was analyzed in 4 cycles by RAD 7 device manufactured by Durridge Company. Secondly, from the seven regions of the Nablus city, three samples were taken from the residential tap water of each region. Regarding the old city, ten samples were taken. Finally, the mean radon concentration value for each source was calculated. Results: The mean (range) concentration of radon in the main sources were 6.9 (1.5-23.4) Becquerel/liter (Bq/L). Separately, springs and wells' means were 4.6 Bq/L and 9.5 Bq/L; respectively. For the residential tap water in the 7 regions, the results of the mean (range) concentration values were found to be 1.0 (0.9-1.3) Bq/L. For the old city, the mean (range) concentration values were 2.3 (0.9-3.9) Bq/L. Conclusions: Except for Al-Badan well, radon concentrations in the wells and springs were below the United State Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminated level (U.S EPA MCL). The level was much lower for tap water. Although the concentration of radon in the tap water of old city were below the MCL, it was higher than other regions in the city. Preventive measures and population awareness on radon's exposure are recommended. © 2012 Al Zabadi et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

引用

共 28 条

[1]

CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention), ATSDR (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry). Case Studies in Environmental Medicine Radon Toxicity, 12, (2010)

[2]

Committee on Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation, Board on Radiation Effects Research and Sciences. Health Risk of Radon and Other Internally Deposited Alpha Emitters, 24, (1988)

[3]

Alter H.W., Price P.B., Radon detection using track registration material, US Patent, 3, pp. 665-149, (1972)

[4]

Fleisher R.L., Giard W.R., Mogro-Campero A., Turner L.G., Alter H.W., Gingrich J.E., Dosometry of environmental radon: Methods and theory of low dose, integrated measurements, Health Phys, 9, (1980)

[5]

Alter H.W., Oswald R.A., Nationwide distribution of indoor radon measurements, APCA J, 37, (1988)

[6]

Committee on Health Risks of Exposure to Radon: Health Effects of Exposure to Radon, (1999)

[7]

WHO Handbook on Indoor Radon A Public Health Perspective, 1, (2009)

[8]

Gray A., Read S., McGale P., Lung cancer deaths from indoor radon and the cost effectiveness and potential of policies to reduce them, British Med J, 338, (2009)

[9]

Mustafa A., Patel J., Rathore I., Preliminary Report on Radon Concentration in Drinking Water and Indoor Air in Kenya, Environ Geochem Health, 24, pp. 387-396, (2002)

[10]

Al-Bataina B.A., Ismail A.M., Kullab M.K., Abumurad K.M., Mustafa H., Radon measurements in different types of natural waters in Jordan, Radiation Meas, 28, pp. 591-594, (1998)

← 1 2 3 →