Quantification of doses and health risks to organs and tissues corresponding to different age groups due to radon in water

This paper quantifies the inhalation and ingestion doses to different organs and tissues due to radon dissolved in drinking water. For this a study was under taken in Ludhiana district of Punjab, India. Radon enters the human body through respiratory tract during inhalation and through stomach during ingestion process. Utilizing the measured radon concentrations in water samples and adopting dose conversion models, ingestion doses corresponding to different age groups (infants, 1-year, 5-year, 10-year, 15-year and adults) were estimated. The study concludes that the maximum dose is received by the stomach as compared to other organs and tissues. Dose to lower age groups was found to be higher than that for the adults. Cancer mortality and morbidity risks have also been estimated for different cancer-sites. Stomach was seen to possess maximum cancer mortality risk for both male and female gender. An assessment of contribution of radon dissolved in water radon to indoor concentration was also made.