Radon Concentration Assessment in Water Resources
Summary
Radon-222 is a colourless, odourless radioactive gas that forms through the decay of uranium in subsurface rocks and soils. Being highly soluble, it readily dissolves in groundwater and can enter domestic and public water supplies. Assessment of radon concentrations in water resources is critical for evaluating human exposure via ingestion and inhalation of radon released from water during use. Measurement approaches range from liquid scintillation counting and gamma-ray spectrometry to field-portable emanometry, each with distinct sensitivities, sampling requirements and potential biases from radon loss. Data interpretation commonly involves statistical analysis of spatial and temporal variability, health-risk modelling to estimate annual effective doses and comparisons with guideline levels set by national and international bodies. Geology exerts a principal control on radon levels, with granitic and fractured rock aquifers often presenting higher values. Where concentrations approach or exceed threshold values, a suite of mitigation measures—from aeration and activated-carbon adsorption to soil venting around wellheads—can be applied. Increasingly, probabilistic and geospatial methods are deployed to map high-risk zones and to inform targeted interventions and public-health policies. This work underpins regulation, guides treatment technology choice and supports communication of radon risks to stakeholders, ensuring that water resource management addresses both radiological safety and supply security.
Research from Nature Portfolio
Geospatial methods have been harnessed to map radon levels in groundwater across a region of northwest Pakistan, integrating GIS and remote sensing to identify high-risk zones and link them to underlying geological structures. Field measurements using a portable radon detector revealed numerous sites where concentrations exceeded regulatory thresholds, yet estimated annual effective doses remained within international limits when accounting for typical water-use patterns. This study demonstrated how spatial modelling can prioritise monitoring and mitigation efforts in resource-limited settings.
A systematic survey of self-bottled mineral spring waters in central Italy investigated the impact of bottling practices on radon concentrations. Sampling at source and after consumer-filled containers revealed that around 10 % of springs exceeded the parametric level of 100 Bq L⁻¹. These findings underscored regulatory exemptions for mineral waters and highlighted the need to reconsider controls on self-bottled supplies, given the popularity of on-site filling and the potential for elevated consumer exposure.
Radon Concentration Assessment in Water Resources publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in radon concentration assessment in water resources across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Radon-222: Naturally occurring radioactive noble gas produced by decay of uranium-238 in rocks and soils; soluble in water and a health hazard due to its radioactivity.
Annual effective dose: Total radiation dose received from radon ingestion and inhalation over one year, expressed in millisieverts (mSv).
Liquid scintillation counting: Technique for quantifying radionuclides in water by measuring light pulses generated through radioactive decay in a scintillating cocktail.
Gamma-ray spectrometry: Method for identifying and measuring gamma emissions from radionuclides in water samples to determine their activity concentrations.
Geospatial analysis: Use of GIS and remote sensing to map spatial distribution of radon concentrations and correlate with geological features.
References
- Variation of total alpha and beta activities and Rn-222 concentrations in the water supply system of an Italian volcanic region: How safe is tap water for human consumption?. Journal of Hazardous Materials (2024).
- Overview of radon gas in groundwater around the world: Health effects and treatment technologies. Journal of Environmental Management (2024).
- Geographical distribution of radon and associated health risks in drinking water samples collected from the Mulazai area of Peshawar, Pakistan. Scientific Reports (2024).
- Radon concentration in self-bottled mineral spring waters as a possible public health issue. Scientific Reports (2019).
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