Measurement of radium-226 concentration and dose calculation of drinking water samples in Guilan province of Iran

Background: Radium-226 ( 226 Ra) is a product of the 238 U radionuclide decay series that significantly incorporated into the human body through water intake. It can also poten#ally cause a series of health problems including cancers of the diges#ve system. Radium-226 ( 226 Ra) is a product of the 238 U radionuclide decay series that significantly incorporated into the human body through water intake. It can also poten#ally cause a series of health problems including cancers of the diges#ve system. Materials and Methods: 226 Ra has been determined in drinking water samples collected from various loca#ons of Guilan province of Iran. The water samples are taken from public water and urban tap water sources. For evolu#on of gross a and b exposure precipita#on method and propor#onal scin#llator system was used. The radon emana#on method was used to measure the radium concentra#on in drinking water. Results: The measurements showed the gross α and β concentra#on ranges were between <38 mBql -1 to 92 mBql -1 and <41 mBql -1 to 328 mBql -1 , respec#vely. The radium concentra#on range was between 2 mBq l -1 to 38.2 mBq l -1 . The resul#ng contribu#on to the annual effec#ve dose due to the diges#on of 226 R in water was calculated to be between <0.4 μSv y 1 to 7.8 μSv y -1 , respec#vely. Conclusion: The average concentra#on of 226 Ra was found (7.6 mBq l -1 ) in drinking water samples and the average annual effec#ve dose, from the diges#on of 226 Ra in water samples was calculated to be 1.5 μSv y -1 . According to UNSCEAR, the annual effec#ve dose value by inges#on is report to be 0.12 mSv y -1 .