Annali dell'Istituto Superiore di Sanità ()

Radioactivity in drinking water: regulations, monitoring results and radiation protection issues

  • Cristina Nuccetelli,
  • Rosella Rusconi,
  • Maurizio Forte

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4415/ann_12_04_04
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 48, no. 4
pp. 362 – 373

Abstract

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INTRODUCTION: Drinking waters usually contain several natural radionuclides: tritium, radon, radium, uranium isotopes, etc. Their concentrations vary widely since they depend on the nature of the aquifer, namely, the prevailing lithology and whether there is air in it or not. AIMS: In this work a broad overview of the radioactivity in drinking water is presented: national and international regulations, for limiting the presence of radioactivity in waters intended for human consumption; results of extensive campaigns for monitoring radioactivity in drinking waters, including mineral bottled waters, carried out throughout the world in recent years; a draft of guidelines for the planning of campaigns to measure radioactivity in drinking water proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency (ARPA) of Lombardia.

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