journal article·2023-08-26Open access

Radon-Specific Activity in Drinking Water and Radiological Health Risk Assessment: A Case Study

Francesco Caridi, Giuseppe Paladini, Maurizio D’Agostino, Santina Marguccio, Alberto Belvedere, Giovanna Belmusto, Giovanna Stilo, Domenico Majolino, Valentina Venuti

Applied Sciences· Volume 13· Issue 17

Abstract

In this paper, the evaluation of the Rn-222 radioactivity content in drinking water samples from the Calabria region, southern Italy, is reported as a case study. The Rn-222-specific activity in the analyzed groundwater samples for human use was evaluated by using the PerkinElmer Tricarb 4910 TR setup and compared with the parameter value (100 Bq L−1) reported in the reference Italian legislation, i.e., D.Lgs. 28/2016, derived from the European Directive 2013/51/Euratom. The radiological health risk for the population of the investigated area, due to the ingestion and inhalation of Rn-222 dissolved in water, was then evaluated by calculating the total annual effective dose, only in those cases where the parameter value was exceeded. The obtained results represent a main reference for the investigated area and are useful for determining any possible radiological health risk for human beings related to the ingestion of the investigated radionuclide. Moreover, they can also be used as a baseline for future investigations regarding background radioactivity levels.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Radioactivity and Radon Measurements · Radioactive contamination and transfer · Graphite, nuclear technology, radiation studies

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Dipartimento di Scienze Matematiche e Informatiche, Scienze Fisiche e Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Messina, V.le F. Stagno D’Alcontres, 98166 Messina, Italy

Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia “Ettore Majorana”, Università degli Studi di Catania, Via S. Sofia, 95123 Catania, Italy

Agenzia Regionale per la Protezione dell’Ambiente della Calabria (ARPACal)—Dipartimento di Reggio Calabria, Via Troncovito, SNC, 89135 Reggio Calabria, Italy

Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies “GF Ingrassia” ENT Section, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy

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