Evaluación de concentraciones de radio-226 en suministros de agua potable de los cantones de Guano, Chambo y Penipe

Abstract

The present research work evaluated the concentrations of radium-226 in groundwater and surface water sources and in drinking water supplies in the cantons of Guano, Chambo and Penipe, belonging to the province of Chimborazo. Thirteen water sources were analysed, twelve of which are groundwater sources and one surface water source (La "Y" river). All samples were collected using the same protocol and analysed with the emanometric technique, using the RAD7 monitor and the RAD H2O degassing system of the Durridge Company of the United States. The method consists of quantifying the radon-222 activity concentration on the day of sampling (D1), leaving the water samples to stand for ten days under refrigeration and returning to evaluate the radon-222 concentration (D-10), the latter value being used to calculate the radium-226 concentration. Of the twelve underground springs studied, Catequilla in the Chambo canton (14.52 ± 0.25 Bq/l), has the highest level of radon dissolved in water (D-1), but does not exceed the reference or parametric level (100 Bq/l), recommended in Directive 2013/51/EURATOM. The annual effective dose from the intake of radon-222 is low in relation to the European Community reference value (1 mSv/year), consequently, it does not represent a risk to the health of the population. to the health of the population. Most of the sources have low average radon-226 activity concentrations, except for the Galten1 (0.54 ± 0.04 Bq/l) and Galten3 (0.49 ± 0.04 Bq/l) of the Chambo canton, with similar values between them (within the experimental errors) and exceeding the derived or parametric concentration, mentioned in Directive 2013/51/EURATOM (0.5 Bq/l ), thus exceeding the recommended dose from the intake of radium-226 intake dose (0.1 mSv/year), and it is therefore necessary to monitor this parameter in order to demonstrate that the concentration of this demonstrate that the concentration of this radionuclide is stable. The La Y river has a concentration below the limit of detection (LOD) of the technique.