engleski

Measuring radon activity concentration in the well water samples in the part of Valpovo municipality

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive noble gas that can accumulate in closed facilities (such as houses, businesses, and public spaces, schools, and kindergartens). Radon is invisible, odorless and tasteless so measurement is the only way to determine its activity concentration in the sample. Inhalation of radon increases the risk of lung cancer, and radon is a leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers (while in smokers it is the second leading cause after smoking, and with smoking, it has a synergistic effect). Radon enters closed facilities primarily from the ground beneath the facility, and to a lesser extent from building materials and the water supply network. Radon dissolves from the surrounding soil and accumulates in water - especially in wells (water that is not technologically treated). When such water is used for showering, washing dishes, etc., radon transforms from the liquid to the gaseous phase into the air (as when CO2 exits from carbonated beverages when opened) where we then inhale it again. Part of the radon remains dissolved in water, which contributes to the ingestion dose for the households in the part of the municipality of Valpovo, and this issue will be the subject of this paper. The concentration of radon activities in gathered samples of well water is determined by the liquid scintillation method.

radon activity concentration, water, wells, ingestion dose

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