An Article Summarizing Research on the Natural Radioactivity of Drinking Water in Ukraine has been Prepared

The Laboratory of Radiation Monitoring has prepared an article summarizing research on the natural radioactivity of drinking water in Ukraine over the past few years:

Buzynnyi, M. (2026). Research on the natural radioactivity of artesian drinking water in Ukraine. Ukrainian Journal of Medical Science, 32(2), 141–154. https://doi.org/10.37621/ujms.32.2.2026.10 

The article was published in the journal of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine in June 2026.

The article shows that contrasting levels of natural radioactivity in water are characteristic of a number of regions in Ukraine; with maximum values reaching: 1,600 Bq/L for ²²²Rn, 4.54 Bq/L for ²²⁶Ra, 0.5 Bq/L for ²²⁸Ra, and 8.1 Bq/L for the sum of uranium isotopes. The greatest radiation exposure from radionuclides in drinking water is caused by radium isotopes, particularly ²²⁸Ra, which has the highest dose coefficient.

The high natural radioactivity found in drinking water sources in the Zhytomyr, Zaporizhzhia, Kirovohrad, Cherkasy, Kyiv, and other regions of Ukraine is often accompanied by significant mineralization of this water. This requires a detailed study of the sources where this is characteristic and careful attention to each of them. The use of water treatment systems designed to remove chemical contaminants and high mineralization—such as those employing aeration, ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, ion-exchange resins, and other methods—is a key element in reducing the concentration of naturally occurring radionuclides in water and, consequently, in reducing the population’s exposure to radiation from these radionuclides.

Head of the Laboratory of Radiation Monitoring,
Doctor of Biological Sciences
Mykhailo BUZINNYI

(date of publication on the website: 08.07.2026)