The radionuclides U-234, U-238 and Po-210 in drinking water in Gdansk agglomeration (Poland)

Consumption of natural water (public and bottled) is very important for peo ple from a radiological point of view. Uranium and polonium alpha-emitters belong to the most radiotoxic elements for human. In the paper, a study of the radioactive content of drinking (public) water in Gdansk agglomeration (Poland) was carried out. U-238, U-234 and Po-210 activity concentrations w ere determined by alpha-spectrometry with low-level-activity silicon detect ors. The results revealed that the mean concentration of U-238, U-234 and P o-210 in analyzed water sample were 2.76, 2.86 and 0.48 mBq(.)dm(-3), respe ctively. Finally, effective doses due to uranium and polonium emissions wer e calculated for drinking water samples for the inhabitants of the agglomer ation.