Abstract

Radon is a naturally occurring colourless and odourless radioactive gas that is soluble in water and is the main source of radioactivity of groundwater. Use of radon contaminated groundwater increased the radon levels in the air, especially in poorly ventilated houses, which is hazardous to health. Ingestion of such water for quite long period may lead to stomach cancer. The drinking water standards proposed by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) exclude the permissible concentration of radon in drinking water. The US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) in 1991 proposed a Maximum Concentration Level (MCL) of 11.1 Bq/l for public water supply. The water samples from the bore wells in Tumkur district of Karnataka show radon concentrations in the range of 5 to 250 Bq/l. Ninety percentages of the samples show radon levels above the permissible limit as per USEPA. The spatial variation and geological control over radon concentration in groundwater in the area and sampling sensitivity are discussed here. The study was conducted during March 2012.

Full Text
Paper version not known

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.