Natural Radioactivity In Drinking Water: Facts For An Updated Debate

摘要

The European Drinking Water Directive 98/83/EC came into effect on 1st January 2003. According to the Directive 98/83/EC, the maximum acceptable total indicative dose (TID) caused by radionuclides in drinking water has been set to 0.1 mSv per year, excluding tritium (hydrogen-3), potassium-40, radon and radon decay products. In addition, the maximum acceptable concentration of tritium has been reduced to 100 Bq/1.The TID has to be calculated after the dose conversion factors laid down in the Directive 96/29/EURATOM. However, until now, there have been no official EC regulations or recommendations for the detection and assessment of radionuclides in drinking waters, meaning the regulation is pending and not really in force.This creates presumptions about a new EU regulation on natural radionuclides in drinking water in near future. This article is intended to help find a solution to this deficit, and to help those who may be affected to be prepared with respect to the different solutions for assessing natural radioactivity in drinking water.