Publication Details |
| Category | Text Publication |
| Reference Category | Journals |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.gexplo.2024.107644 |
| Document | author version |
| Title (Primary) | Radon contamination, risk evaluation, and their spatial distribution in groundwater of three selected northern districts |
| Author | Muhammad, S.; Ullah, R.; Amin, S.; Ahmad, A. |
| Source Titel | Journal of Geochemical Exploration |
| Year | 2025 |
| Department | FLOEK |
| Volume | 269 |
| Page From | art. 107644 |
| Language | englisch |
| Topic | T5 Future Landscapes |
| Keywords | Annual mean exposure doses; Chitral district; Estimated lifetime cancer risk; Lower & Upper Dir districts; Non-cancer risk Pakistan |
| Abstract | Radon (222Rn) has a ubiquitous nature in the environment and can pose serious health threats to living beings. Groundwater is the primary source of drinking and domestic uses for >3 million people in the area. The current study was conducted for investigation of groundwater for the 222Rn concentration and associated health risks. For that purpose, the groundwater was examined for 222Rn concentration using the RAD7 detector (Durridge Company, USA). Average concentrations of 222Rn were highest at 10.8 ± 3.6 Bq/L in the Lower Dir district and lowest at 6.39 ± 0.98 Bq/L in the Upper Dir. The average concentration of 222Rn was found below the threshold limit set by the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the World Health Organization (WHO). However, the concentration in 30 % of sampling sites in the Lower Dir showed 222Rn concentrations higher than a recommended level of 11.1 Bq/L. This study evaluated the potential non-cancer risk and estimated lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) of various age groups via 222Rn consumption in groundwater. The results showed´s total annual mean exposure doses (EwTotal) values for infant of 43.7 ± 10.2, 25.2 ± 3.15, 27.0 ± 1.68 μSv/a, children 33.5 ± 7.80, 19.3 ± 2.42, 20.1 ± 1.29 μSv/a), and adults (32.3 ± 7.52, 18.6 ± 2.33, 20.0 ± 1.24 μSv/a) via groundwater intake in Lower Dir, Upper Dir, and Chitral districts, respectively. Infants showed higher vulnerability to health issues due to 222Rn contamination in groundwater. 222Rn concentrations showed a weak correlation with various studied physicochemical parameters in the groundwater. |
| Persistent UFZ Identifier | https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=29964 |
| Muhammad, S., Ullah, R., Amin, S., Ahmad, A. (2025): Radon contamination, risk evaluation, and their spatial distribution in groundwater of three selected northern districts J. Geochem. Explor. 269 , art. 107644 10.1016/j.gexplo.2024.107644 |
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