Natural radioactivity content in Italian bottled mineral waters

Bottled water consumption has a long history but nowdays bottled water industry is a fast-growing sector of the world industry. Most of the water in bottles comes from springs or underground aquifers. The mineral content of the aquifer is diluted in small amounts into the water and although consuming mineral water is thought to be a healthy practice, there are several cases where radioactivity is also present. Monitoring the bottled water natural radioactivity is very important especially for the cases people consume mainly this kind of water. Radioactivity accumulation in the human body if exists in excess, can pose a threat for the health. In the present work, thirty brands of Italian bottled water were measured for gross alpha and beta radioactivity, uranium, radium and polonium radioisotopes. Radioactivity content was determined using the LSC method and sorbtion on polyamide pieces covered with thin film of MnO2. The analysis using the MnO2 thin films showed that the radium activity in waters varied from 4.7-69.3 mBqL-1 and the polonium activity varied from 5.9-26.8 mBqL-1. The measurements with the LSC method showed uranium concentrations varying from 0.7- 93.1 mBqL-1, while the radium activities exhibited variations from 1.6-34.1 mBqL-1. Finally the gross beta activity values varied from 13.1-1584.9 mBqL-1 and the gross alpha from 2.4- 305.2 mBqL-1.

Assessment of some trace heavy metals and radioactivity concentration in drinking water of Saudi Arabia

Concentration of trace elements and natural gross radioactivity were measured in the drinking water in Jizan region (Saudi Arabia). A preliminary study on trace elements (Zn, Fe, Mn, Ni, Cu, Cr, Co, Se, Sr, V, Ti, Mo, Hg, Cd, Ba, As, Al and Pb) concentrations and natural radioactivity related to gross-α and gross-β radiations in the drinking water were determined. The obtained results showed that, in general, the trace elements concentrations in water did not exceed WHO [1], and GSO [2] guidelines. Generally, heavy metals concentration of the drinking water were found to be in the sequence of Sr > Ti > Fe > Al > Zn > Ba > As > Cu > Mo > Ni > Cr > Co > Se >Hg > Mn, respectively. The results of this study indicated that a general absence of serious pollution in the drinking water used in this region. The results obtained from the radioactivity determination indicate that the drinking water radioactivity concentration of gross-α and gross-β were ranging from 0.06±0.001 to 0.45±0.03 Bq/l and from 0.05±0.006 to 2.95±0.23 Bq/l, respectively. The gross alpha values were found to fall below the GSO and WHO recommended MCL of 0.5 Bq/l while the gross beta values in two samples only exceeds the MCL value of 1 Bq/l, respectively.

The new regulation on drinking water radioactivity and monitoring plans

Not available.

Ecological differentiation of Lemna minor L. and Spirodela polyrrhiza (L.) Schleiden populations

The subject of thep resent study are 19 natural, ecological populations of <i>Lemna minor</i> and <i>Spirodela polyrrhiza</i> coming from sixteen habitats in Lower Silesia. The study showed the essential differences between ecological populations of both species, conditioned on chemistry (pH, level N, P, K, Ca, Mg and Fe) and the natural water radioactivity. It was shown experimentally that these populations, in nature, establish a set of ecotypes or ecophene variability. Ecotypic differentiation of populations of <i>Lemna minor</i> and <i>Spirodela polyrrhiza</i> is based upon individual features and population characteristics such as: shape and size of plants, plant frequency of two, three, and four fronds, the ratio of right- to left-handed plants, and the dynamics of growth and biomass production.