The
raw water (RW) samples collected from natural sources are subjected to
water treatment process, including reverse osmosis (RO), and are packed
in bottles as packaged drinking water (PDW). Raw water (21 samples)
taken from deep wells of Chennai and Secunderabad which are used in the
production of PDW, were analysed for 234U, 235U, 238U, 226Ra, 228Ra and 210Pb activity concentrations. Activity Concentrations of 234U, 235U, 238U, 226Ra, 228Ra, 210Pb and 210Po in PDWwere also analysed. The mean activity concentrations of 234U, 235U, 238U, 226Ra, 228Ra and 210Pb in RW at Chennai were 12.1, ≤1.3, 7.1, 2.6, 27.5, and 16.3 mBq/L respectively. The mean activity concentrations of 234U, 235U, 238U, 226Ra, 228Ra and 210Pb in RWat Secunderabad were found to be 40.9, 1.7, 41.5 84.5, 100.1, and 17.0 mBq/L respectively. The mean concentrations of 234U, 235U, 238U, 226Ra, 228Ra, 210Pb and 210Po
in PDWat Chennai were found to be ≤1.3, ≤1.3, ≤1.3, ≤0.2, ≤1.7, 28.0
and 1.2 mBq/L at Secunderabad were found to be ≤1.3, ≤1.3, 1.7, 4.3, 5.0
and 28.1 mBq/L. The study indicated a considerable reduction in the
concentration of natural radionuclides due to water treatment. The
reduction ratios of RW to PDW for 234U, 238U, 226Ra, 228Ra were 97, 96, 94 and 95%. In case of 210Pb, the PDW showed higher concentration of 210Pb than RW. This was due to its in growth from 222Rn which was not removed in the RO process.