Radiation dose and lifetime risk for radiation-induced cancer due to natural radioactivity in tap water from Jordan

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the radiological quality of drinking water in Ma’an governorate, which includes the archeological city of Petra and is one of Jordan’s most important tourist destinations. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study in southern Jordan that investigates radioactivity in drinking water and its potential to cause cancer. A liquid scintillation detector was used to measure gross alpha and gross beta activities in tap water samples from Ma’an governorate. A high-purity Germanium detector was used to measure the activity concentrations of ²²⁶Ra and ²²⁸Ra. Gross alpha, gross beta, ²²⁶Ra, and ²²⁸Ra activities were < 110–724 mBq/l, < 220–362 mBq/l, < 11–241 mBq/l, and < 32–49 mBq/l, respectively. The results were compared to internationally recommended levels and literature values. Annual effective doses (${\mathrm{D}}_{\mathrm{eff}}$) from ²²⁶ and ²²⁸Ra intake were calculated for infants, children, and adults. The highest doses were found for children while the lowest were found for infants. For each water sample, the lifetime risk of radiation-induced cancer (LTR) was calculated for the whole population. All of the LTR values were lower than the value recommended by the World Heath Organisation. It is concluded that there are no significant radiation-related health risks associated with consumption of tap water from the studied region.