A qualidade da água subterrânea com ênfase na toxicidade dos radionuclídeos na região da província uranífera de Lagoa Real, Bahia, Brasil

Abstract

Chemical elements, even if they occur naturally in the environment, can produce adverse health effects when ingested in high concentrations. The area is located in the Uraniferous Province of Lagoa Real, important uranium mineralizations occur, and for this reason, water containing this element and its daughter nuclides are expected. During the field stage in Caetité and Lagoa Real municipalities, 22 groundwater wells were sampled. For the uranium results, the wells represented by acronyms AC-14 has a concentration of 96 μ/L and the maximum value allowed by legislation is 30 μ/L. For radio-226, the AC-10 sample was measured 1.03 Bq/L, exceeds the limit established by law for water potability. For radio-228, mean concentrations of 0.91 Bq/L, and the maximum value detected in the sample AC-08 with 2.92Bq/L, being above the limit in all wells sampled. And finally, for radon, as an average concentration of 184.5 kBq/m3 is above that recommended by the World Health Organization, being the well AC-08 with values higher than the RAD-07 meter that is 1187.2 kBq/m3. The radionuclides studied are potentially harmful to human health, mainly because they are carcinogenic.