Exposures to 222Rn from consumption of underground municipal water supplies in Pakistan

This paper presents the results of radon ((222)Rn) concentration measurements in municipal supply drinking water in metropolitan Lahore city of Pakistan and evaluation of consequent radiological effects. In this respect, water samples were collected in all nine municipal towns of Lahore city and analysed employing a high-resolution gamma spectrometric system. Radon concentration varied from 2.0 +/- 0.3 to 7.9 +/- 2.1 Bq l(-1). Mean value of annual effective dose for an individual consumer was assessed to be 16.5 +/- 12.8 microSv y(-1). (222)Rn mean concentration measured in this study is comparable with the reported values for drinking water determined worldwide and found to be less than the limit of 100 Bq l(-1) recommended by the World Health Organisation for public water supplies. The results of this study may be helpful in establishing background levels of radon in drinking water that could be used not only to distinguish additional contributions when a contamination event occurs but also to implement water quality standards by the concerned authorities to maintain radioactive contamination free drinking water supplies for the population.