Authors : M.G. Buzynnyi
DOI : 10.37621/ujms.32.2.2026.10
Volume : 32
Issue : 2
Year : 2026
Page No : 141-154
Background. The natural radioactivity in water from artesian wells is a major source of population exposure in some regions of Ukraine. Radiation exposure from drinking water mainly comes from 222Rn, 226Ra, 228Ra, and the combined activity of uranium isotopes. Purpose - to highlight the geological and industrial factors that lead to high levels of natural radionuclides in drinking water, identify areas in Ukraine with potentially high water radioactivity, evaluate exposure from natural water radioactivity, and investigate methods to reduce the population's exposure from consuming water with elevated natural radionuclide levels. Materials and Methods. The analysis used data from recent studies on natural radioactivity in drinking water conducted at the radiation monitoring laboratory of the State Institution "O.M. Marzieiev Institute of Public Health of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine," along with relevant methodological developments. For comparison, the results of some national European studies on natural radioactivity in drinking water, especially in Sweden, Finland, Estonia, and Bulgaria, were reviewed. Results. They show that the levels of natural radioactivity in water vary across several regions in Ukraine; the highest values are: 222Rn — 1600 Bq/l, 226Ra — 4.54 Bq/l, 228Ra — 0.5 Bq/l, and the total uranium isotopes — 8.1 Bq/l. This is caused by the leaching of radionuclides from rocks with high natural radionuclide levels or contamination of drinking water sources by runoff and discharges from mining and extractive industries. The greatest exposure to radionuclides in drinking water comes from radium isotopes, especially 228Ra, which has the highest dose coefficient. Conclusions. Elevated levels of natural radioactivity in drinking water sources in Zhytomyr, Zaporizhzhia, Kirovohrad, Cherkasy, Kyiv, and other regions of Ukraine are often linked to high mineralization. This highlights the need for a thorough investigation of common sources and close monitoring of each one. Using water purification methods such as aeration, ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, and ion-exchange resins is essential for reducing natural radionuclides in water and thereby decreasing exposure.