"International Journal of Geography, Geology and Environment"

Author(s): Doaa AM Al-Nassar and Munaf J Mohammed

Abstract: This study assessed radon gas concentrations in groundwater in rural Kufa, Iraq, to evaluate potential radiological risks to the local population. Radon is a radioactive gas that is naturally produced when uranium-238 decays through radium-226. It is a chemically inert substance, stable in water, and has the capacity to migrate out of rocks and soils into ground water. Humans are primarily exposed by ingestion and inhalation, respectively. Ingestion by supplying an exposome of internal radiation dose organs, whereas inhalation is recognized as the major pathway wherein radon is translocated from water to the indoor air compartment during domestic activities, such as drinking, cooking, and bathing. Radon exposure increases the risk of contracting lung cancer, which is how the temptation of radon in drinking water is considered both a direct health risk and an indirect health risk. Ground water samples have been collected from few shallow and medium-depth wells (total samples - 15). Well discharge pipes were used to build tight containers for water collection, by preventing radon loss from the container. The RAD7 device measurements of radon concentrations made using the Wat-250 protocol. The range of radon concentrations was between 2.4 and 4.2 Bq/L with an average of 3.2 Bq/L and this variation was due to local lithology, uranium content, water–rock interaction, and groundwate flow[7]. Spatial variability was limited, aquifer material contained negligible uranium, and groundwater was not a radiological health risk as shown by all values being substantially below the US EPA guideline of 11.1 Bq/L. The radon concentration in ground water of rural Kufa is safe for domestic use. The study suggests that regular monitoring over time should be performed to identify long-term influences on radon concentrations in the groundwater due to geological or hydrological changes that could expose populations to radon and, therefore, affect health.

DOI: 10.22271/27067483.2025.v7.i12a.454

Pages: 25-27 | Views: 40 | Downloads: 15

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