Elevated radium levels in Nubian Aquifer groundwater of Northeastern Africa.

ABSTRACT: The Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System in Northeast Africa and the Middle East is a huge water resource of inestimable value to the population. However, natural radioactivity impairs groundwater quality throughout the aquifer posing a radiological health risk to millions of people. Here we present measurements of radium isotopes in Nubian Aquifer groundwater from population centers in the Western Desert of Egypt. Groundwater has ²²⁶Ra and ²²⁸Ra activities ranging from 0.01 to 2.11 and 0.03 to 2.31 Bq/L, respectively. Most activities (combined ²²⁶Ra + ²²⁸Ra) exceed U.S. EPA drinking water standards. The estimated annual radiation doses associated with ingestion of water having the highest measured Ra activities are up to 138 and 14 times the WHO-reco

SUBMITTER: Sherif MI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7794551 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature