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Natural radionuclides in Austrian bottled mineral waters

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Abstract

All commercially available mineral waters of Austrian origin were investigated with regard to the natural radionuclides 228Ra, 226Ra, 210Pb, 210Po, 238U and 234U. From 1 to 1.5 L of sample the nuclides were extracted and measured sequentially: the radium isotopes as well as 210Pb were measured by liquid scintillation counting after separation on a membrane loaded with element-selective particles (Empore Radium Disks), 210Po was determined by α-particle spectroscopy after spontaneous deposition onto a copper planchette and uranium was determined also by α-particle spectroscopy after anion separation and microprecipitation with NdF3. The calculated committed effective doses for adults, teens and babies were compared to the total indicative dose of 0.1 mSv/year given in the EC Drinking Water Directive. The dominant portion of the committed effective dose was due to 228Ra. Highly mineralised waters showed also higher 226Ra and 228Ra levels.

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Acknowledgments

This work was performed under contract GZ: BMGFJ-32234/0002-III/B/5/2008 with the Bundesministerium für Gesundheit; we thank Min.Rat Dr. M. Ditto for his interest.

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  1. Universität Wien, Institut für Anorganische Chemie, Währingerstr. 42, 1090, Wien, Austria

    Gabriele Wallner & Tania Jabbar

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  1. Gabriele Wallner
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  2. Tania Jabbar
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Correspondence to Gabriele Wallner.

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Wallner, G., Jabbar, T. Natural radionuclides in Austrian bottled mineral waters. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 286, 329–334 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-010-0751-x

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