https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-025-07169-0
Regular Article
Determination of radon gas activity level in unpacked drinking water from different locations in Albania
Institute of Applied Nuclear Physics, University of Tirana, Tirana, Albania
a
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Received:
31
August
2025
Accepted:
6
December
2025
Published online:
17
December
2025
Abstract
In many countries, groundwater is the primary source of drinking water. As these waters remain in constant contact with rocks, the presence of high uranium concentrations can lead to the release of radon gas, which then dissolves into the water. While radon exposure through inhalation poses a greater risk than ingestion, raising awareness among national authorities and the public about the potential health hazards of radon in drinking water is crucial. According to Decision No. 957 of the Council of Ministers, dated December 2, 2015, the regulation “On the Guideline Levels of Radon Concentration in Indoor Environments and Radionuclide Concentrations in Consumer Goods” sets a reference level of 100 Bq/L for radon concentration in water intended for public consumption. However, Albania currently lacks a systematic monitoring plan for radon levels in water samples. This study aims to determine the activity levels of radon gas in unpackaged drinking water, one of the most consumed water sources in Albania. Water samples from various natural sources across different regions of the country were analyzed. The results indicate that the radon concentration levels in unpackaged drinking water samples intended for public consumption remained within the reference limit of 100 Bq/L, while significantly higher levels were found in well water samples used for domestic or agricultural purposes.
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© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Società Italiana di Fisica and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2025
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
