Measurement of 222Rn concentration in Kenyan groundwater

Abstract

Groundwater samples from different parts of Kenya have been analyzed for their 222Rn concentrations. Samples were drawn from municipal supplies, springs, wells and bore holes in different geological terrains. In the analysis, conventional liquid scintillation counting, using the Packard protocol for measuring radon in water, was employed. This is the first time these water sources are being tested for radioactivity. The preliminary results are presented, and they showed that 222Rn is the main contributor to the radioactivity in most portable waters in Kenya. 222Rn activity concentrations range from 0.8 ± 0.5 to 371.7 ± 33.5 Bq L-1.