Departamento de Investigación y Posgrado, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Mexico.
Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Instituto Tecnológico de Chihuahua II, Mexico.
Health Phys. 2019 Nov;117(5):526-531. doi: 10.1097/HP.0000000000001084.
The oral administration of mineral-rich spring water is known as hydropinic treatment and is used to treat certain ailments. Health benefits are attributed to thermal spring water containing radioactive elements such as radium; this has popularized use of such radioactive water in various parts of the world, causing those who ingest it to increase their internal radiation dose. The goal of this study was to assess the activity concentrations of Ra present in the thermal spring waters of San Diego de Alcala, in the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, and to estimate the health risk posed to patients by the effective dose received from ingesting this water during hydropinic treatments. Water samples were taken from different areas of the San Diego de Alcala thermal springs, and pH, temperature, electrical conductivity, and total dissolved solids were measured. The Ra activity concentrations were measured with a liquid scintillation counter. The activity concentrations of Ra in sampled water varied from 125 to 452 mBq L with an average of 276 ± 40 mBq L. The committed effective dose from each of the Ra activity concentrations found in samples ranged from 9.80 × 10 to 4.0 × 10 mSv for hydropinic treatments being carried out in San Diego de Alcala thermal spring spas. Different treatments had different intake rates (200, 600, 1,000, and 1,500 mL d) and occurred over periods of 2 or 3 wk. According to the guidelines of the US Environmental Protection Agency, the maximum permissible amount of radium in drinking water is 185 mBq L; the Ra content in most of the collected samples exceeded this limit. The committed effective doses varied with Ra concentration and intake rate; none exceeded the World Health Organization's reference dose for drinking water of 0.1 mSv y, which is the maximum amount to which the population should be exposed.
口服富含矿物质的泉水被称为水疗，用于治疗某些疾病。温泉水中含有镭等放射性元素，被认为对健康有益，这在世界范围内推广了这种放射性水的使用，导致那些摄入它的人增加了内部辐射剂量。本研究的目的是评估来自墨西哥奇瓦瓦州圣迭戈德阿尔卡拉温泉水中的镭放射性活度浓度，并估计患者在水疗过程中摄入这种水所接受的有效剂量带来的健康风险。从圣迭戈德阿尔卡拉温泉的不同区域采集水样，并测量 pH 值、温度、电导率和总溶解固体。用液体闪烁计数器测量镭放射性活度浓度。水样中镭放射性活度浓度的范围为 125 至 452 mBq/L，平均值为 276 ± 40 mBq/L。从样本中发现的镭放射性活度浓度得出的每个镭放射性活度浓度的预计有效剂量从在圣迭戈德阿尔卡拉温泉水疗中心进行的水疗中每个患者的 9.80×10 到 4.0×10 mSv 不等。不同的治疗方法有不同的摄入率（200、600、1000 和 1500 mL/d），且持续时间为 2 或 3 周。根据美国环境保护署的指导方针，饮用水中镭的最大允许量为 185 mBq/L；大多数采集的样本中镭的含量都超过了这个限制。预计有效剂量随镭浓度和摄入率而变化；没有一个样本的预计有效剂量超过世界卫生组织对饮用水的参考剂量 0.1 mSv/y，这是人群应接触的最大剂量。
