1)Bozhidar Slavchev, 1)Elena Geleva, 2)Blagorodka Veleva,
1)Hristo Protohristov, 1)Lyuben Dobrev,
1)Desislava Dimitrova, 1)Vladimir Bashev, 1)Dimitar Tonev
1)Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy – BAS (Bulgaria)
2)National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (Bulgaria)
https://doi.org/10.53656/nat2021-2.01
Abstract. The radioactivity of selected sources of drinking water in Southern Bulgaria was investigated using 238U, 234U and 210Po activity measurements and dose calculation, respectively. The activities of 238U, 234U and 210Po varied from 226 to 826 mBq/L, 274 to 1623 mBq/L and < 0.6 to 25.5 mBq/L, respectively, being lower then derived concentrations for radioactivity in water intended for human consumption of the considered radionuclides, given in EC Directive 2013/51/EURATOM. In some drinking waters the mass concentration of natural uranium exceeded the set maximum chemical concentration level of 0.030 mg/L.
A radioactive disequilibrium between 234U and 238U in water was detected.
Based on the radionuclide activity concentrations total annual effective ingestion doses for adults, as well as contribution of each particular radionuclide to the total doses, were assessed and discussed. Тhe lowest contribution to the annual effective doses was found for 210Po and the highest for 234U. The results show that the annual effective doses of residents are below the reference level of 100 µSv/y according to the recommendations of the World Health Organization. The obtained new results are used to assess the radiation status of the investigated water.
Keywords: drinking water; natural radioactivity; 238U; 234U; 210Po; annual effective dose
