title: Radioactivity in bottled waters sold in Mexico.
abstract: Measurements of gross alpha and beta activities were made on 21 domestic and international brands of bottled (purified and mineral) water sold in the Mexican market to assess its radiological quality. Alpha and beta activities were determined using a liquid-scintillation detector with pulse-shape analysis feature. All the purified water had values of beta activity lower than the limit for potable drinking water (1.0 Bq/l), while three brands surpassed the limit of alpha activity (0.1 Bq/l). The limit for alpha radioactivity content was exceed by three mineral waters; the results show a correlation between radioactivity content and mineral salts, which are related with the origin and treatment of the waters.
authors.affiliation: Unidad Académica de Estudios Nucleares, Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas, Mexico. idavila@cantera.reduaz.mx
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Dávila Rangel
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: López del Rio
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mireles García
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Quirino Torres
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Villalba
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Colmenero Sujo
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Montero Cabrera
mesh_terms: D000512:Alpha Particles; D001610:Beta Particles; D001628:Beverages / Q000032:analysis*; D008800:Mexico; D008900:Mineral Waters / Q000032:analysis*; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D012588:Scintillation Counting / Q000379:methods; D014881:Water Supply / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D008900:Mineral Waters; D011868:Radioisotopes