Estimation of radon concentration in groundwater of coastal area in Baleshwar district of Odisha, India

Abstract

The present study was carried out to determine the distribution of radon (222Rn) activity concentration measured using Durridge RAD-7 in the groundwater samples in the coastal area of Baleshwar district, Odisha, India. The 222Rn activities in 10 groundwater samples of coastal area of Baleshwar were measured and the values of 222Rn ranged between 1.6 0.21 and 17.0 1.69 kBqm 3 with an average value of 8.98 0.85 kBqm 3, and seven samples were well within the Environmental Protection Agency’s maximum contaminant level of 11.1 kBqm 3 while three samples were more than the maximum contaminant level of 11.1 kBqm 3. The effective dose per m3 and annual effective dose values were varying with respect to the increase in radon concentration and were significantly lower than the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation and WHO recommended limit for members of the public of 1mSvy