IDENTIFICATION AND ANALYSIS OF THE CONTENT OF RADON IN WATER. APPLICATION TO THE ACTION SPRINGS IN EXTREMADURA.Author:
GALÁN LÓPEZ MÓNICA.
Year:
2006.
University:
EXTREMADURA [
www.unex.es].
Place of defense: FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS.
Place of preparation: FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS DE LA UNIVERSIDAD DE EXTREMADURA.
Summary: The core content of this dissertation is to determine concentrations of the natural radioactive gas radon (222 R) in the waters of origin emanating underground sources, wells and springs of Extremadura. To make these measures point was made in the laboratory a direct method of measurement using the liquid scintillation technique, technically very precise and lower detection limits low enough to be able to adequately catalog all of the water measures. This procedure is validated with the technique for determining 222Rn in water by gamma spectrometry prior to their application to environmental samples. The application of the method of liquid scintillation samples from springs, wells, springs and spas Extremadura revealed a range of activity concentration of 222Rn between 0.24 and 1168 bq L-1. To study the origin of radon gas in groundwater produced a map of concentrations of activity identified in each sampling point. Such a map of Rn compared with hydrogeological map and the map of natural gamma radiation (MARNA, CSN) for the Extremadura region found a high degree of similarity between them. In addition, we explored the content of the predecessors of 222Rn, 238U, 234U and 226Ra in those samples that presented activity concentrations of Rn higher. In all of these samples were found a significant imbalance between these elements in the series natural 238U. Because of the interest of the samples analyzed, as water consumed by the population it was the current regulations regarding the ceilings and reference that exists for these radionuclides. It was also felt that the dose may be received by the population presence of these radionuclides in the water.
