Natural radionuclides in bottled mineral water at the Serbian market

Abstract

Natural radionuclides are present in mineral water as a result of geochemical processes that influence its final composition. The quality of mineral water varies and, apart from the natural disasters such as droughts and floods, it is also affected by industrial activities. The aim of our investigation is to determine the activity concentrations of 40K, 238U, 226Ra and 232Th in mineral waters available at the Serbian market. Nine samples of carbonated mineral water and five samples of non-carbonated natural spring water, collected during 2016, are analyses by standard gamma spectrometry. The maximum 40K specific activity measured in the samples is 3.6 Bq/l, while the 238U, 226Ra and 232Th specific activities are below minimal detectable activity. These results show that according to the national regulations, all samples are radiologically safe for human consumption.