Long lived natural radioactive elements in SPA waters of southern Poland - dose assessment and health hazard evaluation

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the activity concentrations of 234;238U isotopes in mineral, medicinal and spring waters in spas situated in the Sudety and the Outer Carpathian Mountains and to compare the uranium content found in waters from these regions. Samples were collected over a period of 7 years (2005–2011) from 86 water intakes from the Sudety Mountains and Fore-Sudetic block and from 37 water intakes from Outer Carpathians. On the basis of the calculated activity concentrations of 234;238U as well as the existing data on 226;228Ra, the annual effective doses resulting from the consumption of these isotopes were evaluated.