The Concentration of 238u and the Levels of Gross Radioactivity in Surface Waters of the Van Lake (Turkey)

Abstract

Gross alpha and gross beta activities and U-238 concentrations were determined in 18 surface water samples collected from Van Lake. The instrumentations used to count the gross alpha and gross beta activities and to determine the U-238 concentrations were alpha/beta counter of the multi-detector low background system (PIC-MPC-9604) and Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (Thermo Scientific Element 2), respectively. Concentrations ranging from 0.001 to 0.021 Bq L-1 and from 0.111 to 2.794 Bq L-1 were observed for the gross alpha and beta activities in surface waters, respectively. For all samples the gross beta activities were higher than the corresponding gross alpha activities. The results indicated that the gross alpha radioactive contamination in water samples was lower than recommended values for the guideline of drinking waters and most of the gross beta activities in water samples were higher than those in the same procedure. The U-238 concentrations ranged from 74.49 to 113.2 mu g L-1 in surface waters. The obtained results have showed that U-238 concentrations are higher than guideline values for uranium.