Measurement of radon concentration and physicochemical parameters in bottled water: radiological risk assessment for consumers in Iraqi Kurdistan

Abstract The use of bottled drinking water in the Iraqi Kurdistan has increased significantly due to the general perception that it offers higher quality compared to other water sources. In this study, radon levels in 20 widely available brands of commercial bottled water were measured using RAD7 alpha detector coupled with RAD−H 2 O system to assess their safety. In addition, physicochemical parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and total dissolved solids (TDS) were analyzed. Measured radon radioactivity concentrations ranged from 20.9 ± 2.7 to 46.7 ± 6.1 mBq L −1 , with a mean value of 33.8 ± 1.65 mBq L −1 , well below the USEPA and WHO. To assess potential radiation health risks, the total annual effective dose and excess lifetime cancer risk were calculated for the three age groups based on the rate of consumption of conventional bottled water. Estimated risk indices encompassing inhalation, ingestion, total effective dose, and excess cancer risk over a lifetime were found to be below internationally accepted reference levels, indicating that associated radiation risks are low. In addition, a statistical analysis was performed to examine the distribution and relationships among radon levels and physicochemical parameters. This analysis included assessment of skewness, kurtosis, and Pearson coefficients to better understand the underlying characteristics of the data and possible relationships. The measured radon activity concentrations and associated radiological dose estimates indicate negligible health hazards from routine consumption of commercially available bottled drinking water in Iraqi Kurdistan, with the findings serving as a regional baseline for future radiological water quality assessments.