Natural radionuclides, 226Ra, 228Ra and 210Pb, determined in mineral water springs from Parque das Águas de Caxambu, and assessment of the committed effective doses

Abstract

The increase of mineral water consumption and its medicinal use results in the necessity of characterization of these waters sources, once that water is a vital part of human diet. In the mineral waters, besides stable elements, responsible of the chemical composition, the presence of natural radionuclides from the 238U, 232Th, 235U series and 40K gives the radiation property. The incorporation of these radionuclides through the ingestion and external treatment of mineral waters are a very important point, due the ionizing radiation of these radionuclides are harmful to the organism. The largest mineral water park of the world is situated in Brazil, in the city of Caxambu, called “Parque das Águas de Caxambu”. In this park are 12 fountains distributed in the park, also a tubular well of 60 meters of depth which regularly provide water spouts, geyser, and another spring located inside the Gloria Hotel. Therefore, the aim of this work was to evaluate the activity concentrations of the radionuclides 226Ra, 228Ra and 210Pb in the mineral waters springs collected at the “Parque das Águas de Caxambu” and in the Gloria Hotel, as well as to estimate the committed effective doses due to the consumption of these waters. In six campaigns, the radionuclides with the highest concentrations were 226Ra and 228Ra in the springs D. Ernestina, Beleza and Venâncio. These springs also presented the highest values of the committed effective dose.