Alpha activity in Indian thermal springs

ABSTRACT Background: and soils with which it comes in contact. There is dual exposure from radon in water i.e. due toinhalation of the radon released from the water into the ambient air and through ingestion whenwater is used for drinking. As radon contaminated water adversely affects the health, it istherefore fundamental from health and hygiene point of view to measure radium concentrationand radon exhalation rates in water.Dissolved radon is contained in natural water due to primordial uranium in rocksMaterials and Methodsradium concentration and radon exhalation rate in water samples collected from various thermalsprings. The alpha tracks registered were counted by optical microscope at suitable magnificationand converted into radium concentration and subsequently radon exhalation rates were measured.: LR-115, Type- II plastic track detectors were used to measure theResults: mvaried from 5.65 Bq lexhalation rates varied from 2.37 mBq kg± 0.36 mBq kgThe radon concentration emanated from water samples (air borne) varied from 84 Bq-3 to 827 Bq m-3 with an average of 429 ± 12.72 Bqm-3 and the dissolved radon concentration-1 to 55.66 Bq l-1 with an average of 28.88± 0.85 Bq l-1. The radon mass-1 hr-1 to 23.39 mBq kg-1 hr-1 with an average of 12.14-1 hr-1 and surface exhalation rates from 52.34 mBq m-2 hr-1 to 515.29 mBq m-2 hr-1with an average of 267.36 ± 7.93 from different thermal spring water samples.concentration varied from 0.30 Bq l The radium-1 to 2.93 Bq l-1 with an average of 1.52 ± 0.045 Bq l-1.Conclusion: drinking, is safe as far as radium concentration is concerned with the exception of a few isolatedthermal spring sources. Results indicate that the thermal spring water, which is also being used forIran. J. Radiat. Res., 2005 2 (4): 197-204