RADIOLOGICAL RISK ESTIMATION OF DRINKING AND IRRIGATION WATERFOR SOME EGYPTIAN SITES

The objective of this work was to determine the radiological health risk due to natural radionuclides (e.g., 226Ra, 228Ra and 40K) in drinking and irrigation water resources in different locations in Egypt. The water resources in Egypt are diverse and include the river Nile, ground water, springs and lakes in addition to rain waters. The total annual effective dose in all estimated water resources were ranged from 0.02, 0.03 and 0.03 mSvy-1 to 13.49, 26.13 and 13.13 mSvy-1 for infants, children and adults respectively. The average life-long cancer risk and the average hereditary effects due to ingestion of radionuclides by adults show that 12 out of 10,000 may suffer some form of cancer fatality and 43 out of 1000,000 may suffer some hereditary effects. It is concluded that the radiological health risk data obtained werewithin their safe values.