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This study, reports the exhalation rates of radon and thoron from surface soil collected from 60 rural sites of district Hisar, Haryana, India. The exhalation rates of Rn222 (Radon)& Rn220(Thoron) were measured by portable SMART RnDuo (AQTEK SYSTEMS) using a mass accumulation chamber which is equipped with a scintillation material coated cell. Dose rate due to Natural gamma radiations ranged 0.526 to 1.139 mSv y− 1. The Rn222mass exhalation rate in soil samples varied from 0.14 to 94.65 mBq kg− 1 h− 1. Thoron surface exhalation rates ranged 46.42 to 619.88 mBq m− 2 h− 1. This study give an idea about the differences in Rn222 & Rn220 exhalation at different locations which may be due to variations in geological structure of the locations and characteristics of the top soil.The findings show that using soil of the study area as building material is safe.

In the present research work, the study has been carried out on carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic toxic effects for inhabitants due to exposure to heavy metals through dermal and ingestion of drinking water. Present research data assessment has been carried out for the first time; no record has been collected earlier. The maximum concentration of heavy metals was evaluated for Nickel and Arsenic metals, respectively. The average concentration values of heavy metals were found in increasing order as: Ni > As > Cr > Hg > Mn > Cu > Fe > Cd > Zn > Co = Pb 15.36 > 10.3 > 4.73 > 3.32 > 1.43 > 0.27 > 0.246 > 0.068 > 0.06 mg/l respectively. Also, the highest value of incremental lifetime cancer risk was evaluated due to chromium metal. The Hazard Index > 1 was recorded, concluding that non-carcinogenic health risk via ingestion of water, and the Hazard Index

Quality of drinking water is associated directly with the health of mass population. Therefore, study on radiation level in groundwater has been taken up around the Sohna fault line, Haryana state, India. Uranium concentration has been measured in drinking water samples collected from sources such as hand pump, tube well from different depths around the Sohna fault line, using LED Fluorimetry Technique. Uranium concentration in study area varies from 0.10 µg/L to 223.16 µg/L with an average value of 22.09 µg/L. The average value of uranium concentration is within the safe limit recommended by World Health Organization (WHO, 2011) and Atomic Energy Regulatory Board. The annual effective dose has also been measured in all the water samples and is found to be below the prescribed dose limit of 100 µSvy−1 recommended by WHO (2011). Risk assessment of uranium in water is also calculated using life time cancer risk, life time average daily dose and hazard quotient. The high uranium concentration observed in certain areas is due to interaction of ground water with the soil formation of this region and the local sub-surface geology of the region.

Ionizing radiations are continuously exposed to human being. Natural radionuclides are available in different amount in environment. Uranium is found everywhere in water, rocks, soil and building material. Ground water is the main source of drinking water. So it becomes important to review the water quality of north India in view of uranium. Uranium is inhaled through drinking water in human body. In this regard, an extensive data has been compiled and reviewed in this article from North India and compared with safe limits from worldwide data. The majority of the reported articles are about monitoring of uranium concentration in water samples. Most of the reported data have been obtained using Fission track technique, ICPMS, laser fluorimetery and LED fluorimetery.

A comprehensive study is conducted to determine the elemental concentrations of 238U, 232Th and 40K in surface soil samples collected from four well-populated districts of central part of Haryana, India. NaI(Tl) gamma ray spectrometer is used for measurement of 238U, 232Th and 40K in soil samples and SMART RnDuo is used for estimation of exhalation rate in soil samples. Average values of activity concentrations of 238U, 232Th and 40K are 27.9 ± 6.0 Bqkg-1, 34.0 ± 6.6 Bqkg-1 and 306.9 ± 15.9 Bqkg-1, respectively. Radium equivalent activity is lower than the recommended limits with an average value of 97.98 Bqkg-1. Absorbed dose rates in air outdoors, effective dose rates for indoor and outdoor, internal and external hazard index, radium equivalent activities and annual effective dose are measured in soil sample of the study area. A weak positive correlation is observed between radionuclides and exhalation rate.

In the present work, seasonal (winter, rainy, summer) variation of indoor radon and thoron was measured for 120 days from 91 dwellings in different villages and towns in four districts (Rohtak, Son...

Uranium gets into drinking water when the minerals containing uranium are dissolved in groundwater. Uranium and radon concentrations have been measured in drinking water samples from different water sources such as hand pumps, tube wells and bore wells at different depths from various locations of four districts (Jind, Rohtak, Panipat and Sonipat) of Haryana, India, using the LED flourimetry technique and RAD7, electronic silicon solid state detector. The uranium (238U) and radon (222Rn) concentrations in water samples have been found to vary from 1.07 to 40.25 µg L−1 with an average of 17.91 µg L−1 and 16.06 ± 0.97 to 57.35 ± 1.28 Bq L−1 with an average of 32.98 ± 2.45 Bq L−1, respectively. The observed value of radon concentration in 43 samples exceeded the recommended limits of 11 Bq L−1 (USEPA) and all the values are within the European Commission recommended limit of 100 Bq L−1. The average value of uranium concentration is observed to be within the safe limit recommended by World Health Orga...