Improvement of measuring methods and instrumentation concerning 222Rn determination in drinking waters - RAD7 and LSC technique comparison

A procedure for the determination of 222Rn in environmental water samples using liquid scintillation counting (LSC) was applied and optimized. A minimum detectable activity of 0.029 Bq l−1 in a 20 ml glass vial (10 ml water sample mixed with 10 ml of liquid scintillation cocktail) has been achieved during 300 min of measurement time. The procedure was compared with RAD7 radon detector measurements. 226Ra content in the water was determined by gamma-ray spectroscopy. Applications to drinking waters collected from public drinking fountains in the Vojvodina (Serbia) are presented with annual effective dose for ingestion and inhalation for adults calculated.