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Estimation of radiation dose due to ingestion of radon in water samples of Garhwal Himalaya, India

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Abstract

The measurements of radon concentrations in drinking water sources in and around the Main Central Thrust (MCT) region in Garhwal Himalaya, India, were carried out using the scintillation detector-based SMART RnDuo technique for radiation protection purposes. Radon values in the analyzed samples were observed between 1.1 and 183.9 Bq L−1 (AM = 19.7 Bq L−1). Radon values in 94% of the samples were found well below the World Health Organization (WHO) reference limit. The estimated radiation doses for different age groups were found higher than the WHO safe limit of 100 µSv y−1 (from all sources including radon) except for the age groups of 0–12 months infants and 1–3 years children. The results of this study may be useful for future studies on epidemiology, examining hidden faults, uranium exploration etc.

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Acknowledgements

The author acknowledges the Uttarakhand State Council for Science and Technology (UCOST), Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India for financial support in the form of a research project. The author also extends their thanks to Nuclear Research Laboratory, H.N.B. Garhwal University, BadshahiThaul Campus, Tehri Garhwal, Uttarakhand, India extending their laboratory facilities for conducting the experimental work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, P.N.G. Govt. P.G. College, Ramnagar, 244715, India

    Krishna Pal Singh & Subhash Chandra

  2. School of Engineering and Technology, Chitkara University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, 174103, India

    Mukesh Prasad

  3. Department of Physics, H.N.B. Garhwal University, Badshahi Thaul Campus , Tehri Garhwal, 249199, India

    Abhishek Joshi & R. C. Ramola

  4. Department of Physics, B.L.J. Govt. P.G. College, Purola, Uttarkashi, 249185, India

    Ganesh Prasad

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  1. Krishna Pal Singh
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Singh, K.P., Chandra, S., Prasad, M. et al. Estimation of radiation dose due to ingestion of radon in water samples of Garhwal Himalaya, India. J Radioanal Nucl Chem (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-023-09002-3

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