RADON IN DRINKING WATER FROM ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF WATER SUPPLY IN THE NORTH OF KOSOVO

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Radiological Protection
• Public Health

Background:

• Natural mineral waters are widely consumed in Kosovo households.
• Radon in drinking water poses potential health risks through ingestion and inhalation.
• Understanding radon levels is crucial for assessing public exposure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To measure radon activity concentrations in natural mineral waters in northern Kosovo.
• To assess the contribution of waterborne radon to total indoor radon exposure.
• To estimate annual effective doses from radon in drinking water.

Main Methods:

• Alpha spectrometric method using a RAD7 device for radon measurement.
• Analysis of 24 natural mineral water samples from rural and urban households.
• Calculation of annual effective doses for inhalation and ingestion pathways.

Main Results:

• Radon activity concentrations ranged from 1.6 ± 0.5 to 46.3 ± 6.3 Bq l-1.
• Average radon activity concentration was 12.4 ± 2.0 Bq l-1.
• Estimated annual effective doses were 109.4 ± 16.7 μSv y-1 (inhalation) and 2.6 ± 0.4 μSv y-1 (ingestion).

Conclusions:

• Radon levels in some Kosovo mineral waters exceed EPA recommendations but are below WHO limits.
• Waterborne radon contributes to overall indoor radon exposure, particularly via inhalation.
• Further monitoring and mitigation strategies may be needed to ensure public safety.