Assessment of radiation dose due to 238U, 226Ra, 222Rn and 210Po in groundwater of Kodagu district, India.

Natural radionuclides are universally spread and can be found in varying levels in rock, soil and water depending on the geology. A potential health threat may be caused by them to humans on consumption of water, food and inhalation of air due to the presence of radionuclides. In the present study, an attempt has been made to study the distribution of 238U, 226Ra, 222Rn and 210Po in groundwater samples of Kodagu district, India. The activity concentrations of 238U, 226Ra, 222Rn and 210Po were found to vary from 0.44 to 8.81 μg L-1, 0.71 to 7.66 mBq L-1, 1.54 to 9.61 Bq L-1 and 0.47 to 4.35 mBq L-1, respectively. The associated dose due to radiation was assessed and was observed to be below the recommended standards. The total effective dose to the population was calculated and was found to be less than the recommended WHO standard of 100 mSv.