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Estimation of underground water radon danger in Bakreswar and Tantloi Geothermal Region, India

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Abstract

The main aim of the study is to present an evaluation of radon concentration in underground water of Bakreswar and Tantloi geothermal region which is mainly used for drinking purposes of the local people. Water samples were collected from tube-wells at 173 different locations. The radon (222Rn) concentration level was observed to fluctuate widely between 3.3 and 803.8 Bq/l with an average of 106.8 Bq/l. Nearly 42% of the samples had radon concentration above the safe limit of 100 Bq/l recommended by World Health Organisation (WHO) and European Union Commission (EU). Considering the WHO and International Commission on Radiological Protection recommended water consumption rate for adults (730 l/year) the corresponding total annual effective dose of the samples were estimated to assess the probable health risk. Total annual effective dose of the samples were varied between 16.72 and 4079.47 µSv/year with an average value of 541.92 µSv/year. About 95% samples exceed the WHO and EU Commission proposed safe limit of 100 µSv/year.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to all the laboratory members of Bakreswar Helium Laboratory for their great support and cooperation & DST FIST project of the department of Physics, Jadavpur University for financial support in procuring the measuring instrument.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Studies in Environmental Radiation and Archaeological Sciences, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, 700032, India

    Arindam Kumar Naskar, Mahasin Gazi, Chiranjib Barman, Saheli Chowdhury, Mitali Mondal & Argha Deb

  2. Department of Physics, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, 700032, India

    Arindam Kumar Naskar, Mitali Mondal & Argha Deb

  3. Department of Physics, Bangabasi Evening College, Kolkata, 700009, India

    Arindam Kumar Naskar

  4. CAPSS, Bose Institute Block - EN, Sector - V Bidhan Nagar, Kolkata, 700091, India

    Debasis Ghosh

  5. Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre 1/AF Bidhannagar, Kolkata, 700064, India

    Bikash Sinha

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  1. Arindam Kumar Naskar
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Correspondence to Argha Deb.

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Naskar, A.K., Gazi, M., Barman, C. et al. Estimation of underground water radon danger in Bakreswar and Tantloi Geothermal Region, India. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 315, 273–283 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-017-5668-1

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