Drinking water radionuclides

Radionuclides MCLG (mgILf MCL or TT (mg/L) Potential Health Effects from Ingestion of Water Sources of Contaminant in Drinking Water... 

The ingestion pathway is much more complicated than the others since the radionuclides, except those in drinking water, have to be taken up by the plants and then consumed by humans in either vegetable or animal form. Of the various pathways, the milk pathway is particularly important because a dairy cow consumes a large amount of vegetation and concentrates radionuclides (e.g,... 

The created technology of producing cationic and anionic exchange fibroid sorbents on the base of polyacrylonitrilic fibers is described in the paper. Chemical characteristics of the sorbent and filters were investigated. The static exchange capacity is 3-4 meq/g for cationic sorbents and 1-2 meq/g for anionic sorbents. The removal coefficient of listed radionuclides from drinking water by the filter is 102 - 103. 

After the Chernobyl accident the Academy of Sciences and KGB of Ukraine tested the household filters with fibroid sorbents and ten thousands filters were produced in the Institute of Nuclear Physics of Uzbekistan and given to Ukraine through "Isotope" Corp. (USSR). The experience of using the filters for purification of drinking water from radionuclides in Chernobyl region is described in the paper. 

These experiments have confirmed that the filters have removal coefficients of radionuclides for water from Chernobyl of 102 - 103 Thus, the water meets the requirements for drinking water after passing the filter. However, the high efficiency of the filter causes problems due to accumulation of radioactivity by filters, increasing the difficulty of controlling radioactivity at homes and the necessity of removal of... 

Most water systems are required to monitor for radioactivity and certain radionuclides, and to meet maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for these contaminants, to comply with the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). Currently, USEPA requires drinking water to meet MCLs for beta/photon emitters (includes gamma radiation), alpha particles, combined radium 226/228, and uranium. However, this monitoring is required only at entry points into the system. In addition, after the initial sampling requirements, only one sample is required every three to nine years, depending on the contaminant type and the initial concentrations. 

Aieta EM, Singley JE, Trussell AR, et al. 1987. Radionuclides in drinking water An overview. Am Water Works Assoc J 79 144-152. 

Cothern CR. 1987. Development of regulations for radionuclides in drinking water. In Graves B ed. Conference NWWA, April 7-19, Somerset, NJ. Michigan Lewis Publishers, 1-11. 

Drinking water quality concerns range from (1) infectious disease risks that are large, obvious, and quantifiable (2) acute or chronic chemical hazards such as those from arsenic or lead that are infrequent but potentially identifiable in cause and effect when they occur (3) postulated carcinogenic risks from radionuclides or certain organic chemicals that are largely undetectable and empirically unquantifiable and usually small in magnitude relative to overall cancer incidence rates. 

The EPA is presently conducting a survey called the National Inorganics and Radionuclides Survey (NIRS). This study has been on-going since 1981, and preliminary reports have been published. These data are still being analyzed for the establishment of revised interim drinking water regulations. 

The RMBC assessed its regional public-health priorities and developed the following nine demonstration projects on the basis of the needs of the community possible correlation of exposure to arsenic in drinking water and type 2 diabetes, a spot blood metals-analysis feasibility study, health-clinic samples for chemical-terrorism baselines, of relationship between urine arsenic and metal concentrations and drinking-water exposure, assessment of exposure to VOCs from subsurface volatilization, cotinine concentrations associated with environmental tobacco smoke, assessment of exposure to mercury from ingestion of fish, analysis of radionuclides in urine, and biomonitoring of organophosphorus pesticides in urine (Utah Department of Health 2006). 

Drinking Water Regulations, Radionuclides, Part II", U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, July, 1976. 

The average annual concentration of beta particle and photon radioactivity from man-made radionuclides in drinking water shall not produce an annual dose equivalent to the total body or any internal organ greater than 4 millirem/yr. Tritium must be less than 20,000 pCi L-1, and strontium must be less than 8 pCi L-1. 

In 1973, the EPA established a nationwide network, called ERAMS, for obtaining data in environmental samples. ERAMS consists of a network of samphng stations that provide air, surface and drinking water, and milk samples that the EPA uses to obtain environmental concentrations of radioactive material. The objective of this system is to identity trends in the accumulation of long-lived radionuclides in the environment (EPA 1994). Sampling locations for ERAMS are located near primary population centers to provide optimal population coverage. 

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