Measurement of Radon Gas Concentrations in Tap Water for Baghdad Governorate by Using Nuclear Track Detector (CR-39)

Nada Fadhil Tawfiq^1, , Hazim Louis Mansour² and Mahmood Salim Karim²

¹Department of Physics, College of Science, Al-Nahrain University, Baghdad, Iraq

²Department of Physics, College of Education, Al-Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad-Iraq

Cite this paper:
Nada Fadhil Tawfiq, Hazim Louis Mansour and Mahmood Salim Karim. Measurement of Radon Gas Concentrations in Tap Water for Baghdad Governorate by Using Nuclear Track Detector (CR-39). International Journal of Physics. 2015; 3(6):233-238. doi: 10.12691/ijp-3-6-2

Abstract

In the present work, we have measured the radon gas concentrations in tap water samples for selected regions (some of them were measured for the first time as far as authors know) in Baghdad governorate by using alpha-emitters registrations which are emitted from radon gas in (CR-39) nuclear track detector. The results of measurements have shown that the highest average radon gas concentration in tap water samples was found in B₁₆ (AL-Zafraniya) region, which was equal to (0.190±0.01 Bq/L), while the lowest average radon gas concentration was found in B₂₀ (AL-Karada) region, which was equal to (0.073±0.01 Bq/L), with an average value of (0.135±0.03 Bq/L). The highest value of annual effective dose in tap water samples was found in B₁₆ region, which was equal to (0.694 μSv/y), while the lowest value of annual effective dose was found in B₂₀ region, which was equal t (0.267 μSv/y), with an average value of (0.493±0.12 μSv/y). The present results have shown that radon gas concentrations in tap water samples were less than the recommended value (11.1 Bq/L) given by (USEPA,2012). There for tap water in all the studied sites in Baghdad Governorate is safe as for as radon concentration is concerned.

Keywords:
tap water radon concentration CR-39 nuclear track detector

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

References:

[1]	Forkapic S., ,and Conkic L., “methods of Radon measurement” Physics, Chemistry and Technology 4, No.1 , pp.1-10, (2006).
[2]	Lee J.K., “Radiological risk associated with naturally occurring radioactive nuclides in tap water and protection standards”, Consumer Affairs Institute, Report on “Debate on the Hazardousness of Radioactive Elements in Tap Water”, pp.39-49, (1998).
[3]	Asaad H. Ismail, “Measurement of Radon Activity concentration in Iraqi Kurdistan Soil by Using CR-39 Nuclear Track Detectors”, M.Sc.Thesis, Univ. of Salahaddin, Erbil-Iraq, (2004).
[4]	UNSCEAR United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effect of Atomic Radiation, Sources, Effects and Risks of Ionizing Radiations, United Nations, New York, (1988).
[5]	Tawfiq N.F., “Uranium and radon concentration in ground water in Aucashat city (Iraq) and the associated health effects “Advances in Applied Science Research,4 ,No.3, pp.167-171, (2013).
[6]	Shashikumar. T.S, Chandrashekara.M.S, Paramesh.L “ Studies on Radon in soil gas and Natural radionuclides in soil, rock and ground water samples around Mysore city” International Journal of Environmental Sciences, 1,No.5, pp.787-797, (2011).
[7]	Khan AJ, Varshney AK, Prasad R, Tyagi RK, Ramachandran TV; “Calibration of a CR-39 plastic track detector for the measurement of radon and its daughters in dwellings”; Nucl Tracks Radiat Meas, 17, pp.497-502, 1990.
[8]	Ali M.O., “Study of pollution by heavy elements in some parts of Baghdad” Journal of Baghdad Science,. 7, No.1.2, pp.955-962, (2010).
[9]	Amalds O., Custball N.H. & Nielsen G.A. “Cs137 in Montarq Soils”, Health Physics, 57 No.6, pp. 955-958 (1989).
[10]	Durrani S.A. and Bull R.K., “Solid State Nuclear Track Detection: Principles, Methods and Applications”, Pergammon Press, U.K., (1987).
[11]	Alam M.N., Chowdhry M. I., Kamal M., Ghose S., Islam M. N. and Awaruddin M., “Radiological assessment of tap water of the Chittagong region of Bangladesh”, Radiat. Prot. Dosim., 82, pp.207-214, (1999).
[12]	Ferreira A.O., Pecequilo B.R. and Aquino R.R., “Application of a Sealed Can Technique and CR-39 detectors for measuring radon emanation from undamaged granitic ornamental building materials”, Radioprotection Journal, 46, No.6, pp.49-54, (2011).
[13]	Kant K., Upadhyay S.B. and Chakarvarti S.K. “Alpha activity in Indian thermal springs” Iran. J. Radiat. Res. 2 , No. 4, pp.197-204, (2005).
[14]	USEPA “Report Drinking Water Standards and Health Advisories”, (2012).
[15]	Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations, Final Rule for Non-Radon Radionuclides in Tap Water, Technical Fact Sheet, EPA, 815-F-00-013, (2000).