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Levels of 226Ra in groundwater samples collected in Phu Yen province, Vietnam associated with health risks to local population and impacts on the maize (Zea mays L.) soil

Environmental Science and Pollution Research volume 27, pages 31812–31826 (2020)Cite this article

Abstract

Groundwater is a major source of drinking water and agricultural water in some regions of the world. However, it contains a high level of 226Ra that is potentially hazardous to human health and the environment. Normally, the activity concentration of 226Ra in groundwater is determined to assess the quality of groundwater that can be used as drinking water. There are few studies on the accumulation of 226Ra in the agricultural soil due to irrigation with groundwater. In this study, levels of 226Ra were determined on over 60 groundwater samples collected from the public water supply wells in Phu Yen province, Vietnam. Besides assessment of the health risks to population due to drinking groundwater samples, the impact of groundwater irrigation to the maize field in the study area was studied. For this purpose, two chemical fate models were applied and the comparison of their results was performed. Based on the model assessments, we predicted that the present agricultural practices increased the 226Ra activity concentration in the maize soil, and the level of 226Ra activity concentration in the topsoil can exceed the recommended level at 11.4 years of the present agricultural practices on the maize soil.

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Funding

This research is funded by Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM) under grant number C2019-18-07.

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  1. Nuclear Technique Laboratory, University of Science, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

    Van Thang Nguyen, Nguyen Phong Thu Huynh & Cong Hao Le

  2. Department of Nuclear Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Faculty of Physics and Engineering Physics, University of Science, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

    Van Thang Nguyen, Nguyen Phong Thu Huynh & Cong Hao Le

  3. Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

    Van Thang Nguyen, Nguyen Phong Thu Huynh & Cong Hao Le

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  1. Van Thang Nguyen
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Nguyen, V.T., Huynh, N.P.T. & Le, C.H. Levels of 226Ra in groundwater samples collected in Phu Yen province, Vietnam associated with health risks to local population and impacts on the maize (Zea mays L.) soil. Environ Sci Pollut Res 27, 31812–31826 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-09538-x

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Keywords

  • CEMC soil model
  • HYDRUS-1D model
  • Zea mays L.
  • 226Ra in groundwater