Assessment of radiation dose from radon ingestion and inhalation in commercially bottled drinking water and its annual effective dose in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia

The isotopes of radium, uranium, polonium, lead, and short-lived radon are the common radionuclides found in drinking water. The abnormal amount of radon in drinking water causes health risks. In this study, an attempt has been made to estimate the level of radon concentrations and its annual effective dose from bottled water brands and tap drinking water. A total of 77 samples of drinking water sources; 47 bottled water brands and 27 tap water samples including 3 samples from water storage tank supplier were collected and examined. The measurements were performed using active detection method technique called Durridge RAD7-H2O with closed loop. The minimum and maximum level of average radon concentrations was 0.10 +/- 0.02BqL(-1) and 9.2 +/- 0.02BqL(-1). The results were below the limit recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency (11BqL(-1)). The annual effective dose for children and adults was in the range from almost 0.51 mu Svy(-1) to 46.69 mu Svy(-1). There are no indications of significant threat from radon concentrations in bottled water brands or tap drinking water, and it is safe as far as health hazard is concerned.