engleski

Age-dependent dose assessment of 226Ra from bottled water intake

Water may present a source of prolonged exposure to naturally occurring radionuclides. One of the most frequent occurring radionuclide in natural mineral and spring waters is 226Ra and its decay products. The contribution of drinking water to the total exposure is very small, at about 5% of the average effective dose attributable annually to natural background radiation [WHO 1993], but it is very important quality factor due to hazardous effects of radioacitivity on health. In this study daily water intake (DWI) for different age group was assessed in order to estimate 226Ra effective doses from water consumption. Investigated samples were bottled waters produced in Croatia (mineral, spring and table waters) and tap waters. Specific activity of 226Ra in all samples is below 1000 mBq L-1. 226Ra effective doses from water consumption are age-dependent ant the highest values are found in infants and children between thirteen and seventeen. These are life periods of intensive production of sexual hormones. Higher production of sexual hormones accompanied with physical growth could cause higher retention of 226Ra into the bone. Drinking of some mineral waters is not recommended for children in puberty because some of assessed 226Ra effective doses are up to six times higher than the recommended one (0.1 mSv). Adults and especially elderly people are much less susceptible to the presence of 226Ra. Their 226Ra effective doses are much less (below 10 μ Sv).

water ; 226Ra ; exposure ; population ; efective dose

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