Radiological study of sachet-packaged water: a case study of the products in Owo local government area of Ondo State, Nigeria.

The radioactivity levels of some sachet-packaged drinking water produced and used in Owo, a local government area of Ondo State, Nigeria, were measured. The activity concentrations of (226)Ra varied between 0.6   ±   0.2 Bq L(-1) and 11.6   ±   3.2 Bq L(-1) with an arithmetic mean  ±  standard deviation of 6.6   ±   3.6 Bq L(-1), the activity concentrations of (228)Ra varied between 4.5   ±   2.1 Bq L(-1) and 18.6   ±   6.1 Bq L(-1) with an arithmetic mean  ±  standard deviation of 12.2   ±   4.5 Bq L(-1) and that of (40)K varied between 22   ±   6 Bq L(-1) and 142   ±   41 Bq L(-1) with an arithmetic mean  ±  standard deviation of 68   ±   45 Bq L(-1). (40)K was not detected in one sample. The resulting annual effective doses due to ingestion of the radionuclides (226)Ra and (228)Ra in the water samples varied between 2.4 mSv and 11.5 mSv with an arithmetic mean  ±  standard deviation of 7.5   ±   2.8 mSv, which are higher than the recommended standards of WHO and UNSCEAR. Therefore this study shows that it is not radiologically advisable to consume any of the sachet drinking water studied.