RADON concentration in water from river, tap and bottled Date RADON concentration in water from river, tap and bottled 1P Tjabadi and 2Z Dlamini 1Tshwane University of Technology 2South African Nuclear Energy Corporation

Introduction Radon is a natural occurring radioactive gas produced through the radioactive decay of uranium and radium in soil and rocks; it is colourless oudourless and tasteless. It can enter homes directly from soil and around the building. When it becomes trapped in an enclosed space it can accumulate and pose significant health risk. Radon can also dissolve in groundwater and later released in air during normal household activities. It is also found in all types of wells, particularly in bedrocks

Radon Decay Chain

Sources of Radon

Radon in water When the ground produces radon, it can dissolve and accumulate in water from underground sources, such as wells. When water that contains radon is run for showering, washing dishes, cooking, and other uses, radon gas escapes from the water and goes into the air. Some radon also stays in the water.

Radon can be a concern if your drinking water comes from a well that draws from an underground source, though not all water from underground sources contains radon. If you get your water from a public water system that serves 25 or more year-around residents, you will receive an annual water quality report. These water quality reports include information on what is in your water, including radon if it has been tested. Radon from lakes, rivers, and reservoirs (called surface water) is of much less concern. Most of the radon is released from the water before it enters the distribution system.

Radon Movement

Radon Uses Radon Seed Therapy One problem with radiation therapy is that it often kills healthy tissue alongside cancerous tissue. Because of that, doctors have looked for ways to deliver doses of radiation locally to tumours to avoid radiating nearby healthy tissue. A radon seed is a small tube of radon gas that doctors surgically implant into the middle of a tumour. The radiation energy from the radon focuses specifically on the cancerous cells, killing them. On occasion, radon seeds have caused secondary tumors to develop.

Radon Uses Radon Spas In the United States, radon gas is frequently used as a therapeutic treatment for arthritis. People with various forms of arthritis go to radon spas and clinics to deliberately expose themselves to radon. Those without the money to buy radon treatment often go to old mines with high concentrations of radon in the air. A 2000 study by Dr. A. Frank and colleagues from Maximillians University in Munich, Germany showed that radon spa treatments for rheumatoid arthritis yielded greater long-term pain relief than similar treatments without radon.

Dangers of Radon Radon produces a radioactive dust in the air we breathe. The dust is trapped in our airways and emits radiation that damages the inside of our lungs. This damage, like the damage caused by smoking, increases our risk of lung cancer.

Exposure symptoms persistent cough. coughing up blood. wheezing. shortness of breath. hoarseness. chest pain, especially when you cough or laugh. frequent infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia

SEER 2010 Study

Instrument Rad7 H2O

Instrument Portable: Complete kit provided in fitted case; weighs just 13 lbs. Automatic: Procedure is controlled fully by the connected RAD7. Printouts provide data on radon concentration in water. Fast: Analysis can be completed within one hour of taking the water sample. Accurate: The RAD H2O provides results as accurate as liquid scintillation. Sensitive: More sensitive than liquid scintillation. Lowest limit of detection is 10 pCi/L (20 minute count). Clean and Safe: Involves no hazardous materials or chemicals. Proven: Used by individuals and labs throughout the world for over ten years. Great Value: Practically no running costs.

Samples Tap water River water Bottled water

Method Set up as indicated Run pump for five minutes aerating the sample and delivering the radon to the RAD7 chamber. The system will then stop for another five minutes. It will then start counting. After five minutes, a short-form report will be printed At the end of the run, the RAD7 showing the average radon reading from cycles counted, a bar chart of the readings, and a cumulative spectrum. The radon level are calculated automatically and summary printed. data, except the spectrum will be stored in the memory, and may be printed or downloaded to a PC any time.

Results Reading Tap water Bottled water Upper stream (river) Down stream (river) 1 104 ± 208 Bq/m3 34.7±168 Bq/m3 0.00±139 Bq/m3 2 69.4±190 Bq/m3 3 106±208 Bq/m3 4 B 36.00±139 Bq/m3

Conclusion Environmental toxins can cause serious health effects when exposure is allowed to accumulate, but it is important to remember that the danger is in the dose. Problems usually result from prolonged or excessive exposure. Radon levels were found to be less than the acceptable levels by WHO (4pCi/L)-( 148Bq/m3)

Recomendations Seeing that from this experimental study, bottled water had higher radon concentration than the river and tap water. It might be interesting to compare different bottled water and estimate the effective dose per annum

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