Estimation of uranium and radon concentration in some drinking water samples

Abstract

The concentration of uranium and radon has been assessed in drinking water samples collected from different areas belonging to the upper Siwaliks of Kala Amb, Nahan and Morni Hills of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh states, India. The water samples are taken from hand pumps, natural sources and wells. Fission track registration technique has been used to estimate the uranium content of water samples. The uranium concentration in water samples varies from ( 1.08 ± 0.03 ) to ( 19.68 ± 0.12 ) μ g L - 1 . These values are compared with safe limit values recommended for drinking water. Most of the water samples are found to have uranium concentration below the safe limit of 15 μ g L - 1 [WHO (World Health Organization), 2004. Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality. third ed.]. The radon estimation in these samples has been made using α -scintillometry to study its correlation with uranium. The radon concentration in these samples is found to vary from ( 0.87 ± 0.29 ) to ( 32.10 ± 1.79 ) Bq L - 1 . The recorded values of radon concentration are within the recommended safe limit of 4– 40 Bq L - 1 [UNSCEAR (United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiations), 1993. Sources and Effects of Ionizing Radiation. United Nations, New York]. No direct correlation is found between uranium concentration and radon concentration in water samples belonging to upper Siwaliks. The values of uranium and radon concentration in water are compared with that from the adjoining areas of Punjab.