Drinking Water

If screening levels are exceeded, Becquerel can provide cost-effective recommendations for identification and quantification of the specific radionuclides. Lower detection limits + all other drinking water radioisotopes are available, please inquire.

Table 1 Maximum Acceptable Concentrations (MACs) Click to Expand Detail

MACs of Radionuclides in Drinking Water
*Table 1 Maximum Acceptable Concentrations (MACs) of Radionuclides in Drinking Water from Canadian Guidelines

Radionuclide	Half-life (t½)	DCF* (Sv/Bq)	MAC (Bq/L)
Natural Radionuclides
Beryllium-7	53.3 days	3.3 × 10-11	4000
Bismuth-210	5.01 days	2.1 × 10-9	70
Lead-210	22.3 years	1.3 × 10-6	0.1
Polonium-210	138.4 days	6.2 × 10-7	0.2
Radium-224	3.66 days	8.0 × 10-8	2
Radium-226	1600 years	2.2 × 10-7	0.6
Radium-228	5.76 years	2.7 × 10-7	0.5
Thorium-228	1.91 years	6.7 × 10-8	2
Thorium-230	7.54 × 104 years	3.5 × 10-7	0.4
Thorium-232	1.40 × 1010 years	1.8 × 10-6	0.1
Thorium-234	24.1 days	5.7 × 10-9	20
Uranium-234	2.45 × 105 years	3.9 × 10-8	4*
Uranium-235	7.04 × 108 years	3.8 × 10-8	4*
Uranium-238	4.47 × 109 years	3.6 × 10-8	4*
Artificial Radionuclides **
Americium-241	432 years	5.7 × 10-7	0.2
Antimony-122	2.71 days	2.8 × 10-9	50
Antimony-124	60.2 days	3.6 × 10-9	40
Antimony-125	2.76 years	9.8 × 10-10	100
Barium-140	12.8 days	3.7 × 10-9	40
Bromine-82	35.3 hours	4.8 × 10-10	300
Calcium-45	165 days	8.9 × 10-10	200
Calcium-47	4.54 days	2.2 × 10-9	60
Carbon-14	5730 years	5.6 × 10-10	200
Cerium-141	32.5 days	1.2 × 10-9	100
Cerium-144	284.4 days	8.8 × 10-9	20
Cesium-131	9.69 days	6.6 × 10-11	2000
Cesium-134	2.07 years	1.9 × 10-8	7
Cesium-136	13.1 days	3.0 × 10-9	50
Cesium-137	30.2 years	1.3 × 10-8	10
Chromium-51	27.7 days	5.3 × 10-11	3000
Cobalt-57	271.8 days	3.5 × 10-9	40
Cobalt-58	70.9 days	6.8 × 10-9	20
Cobalt-60	5.27 years	9.2 × 10-8	2
Gallium-67	78.3 hours	2.6 × 10-10	500
Gold-198	2.69 days	1.6 × 10-9	90
Indium-111	2.81 days	3.9 × 10-10	400
Iodine-125	59.9 days	1.5 × 10-8	10
Iodine-129	1.60 × 107 years	1.1 × 10-7	1
Iodine-131	8.04 days	2.2 × 10-8	6
Iron-55	2.68 years	4.0 × 10-10	300
Iron-59	44.5 days	3.1 × 10-9	40
Manganese-54	312.2 days	7.3 × 10-10	200
Mercury-197	64.1 hours	3.3 × 10-10	400
Mercury-203	46.6 days	1.8 × 10-9	80
Molybdenum-99	65.9 hours	1.9 × 10-9	70
Neptunium-239	2.35 days	1.2 × 10-9	100
Niobium-95	35.0 days	7.7 × 10-10	200
Phosphorus-32	14.3 days	2.6 × 10-9	50
Plutonium-238	87.7 years	5.1 × 10-7	0.3
Plutonium-239	2.41 × 104 years	5.6 × 10-7	0.2
Plutonium-240	6560 years	5.6 × 10-7	0.2
Plutonium-241	14.4 years	1.1 × 10-8	10
Rhodium-105	35.4 hours	5.4 × 10-10	300
Rubidium-81	4.58 hours	5.3 × 10-11	3000
Rubidium-86	18.6 days	2.5 × 10-9	50
Ruthenium-103	39.2 days	1.1 × 10-9	100
Ruthenium-106	372.6 days	1.1 × 10-8	10
Selenium-75	119.8 days	2.1 × 10-9	70
Silver-108m	127 years	2.1 × 10-9	70
Silver-110m	249.8 days	3.0 × 10-9	50
Silver-111	7.47 days	2.0 × 10-9	70
Sodium-22	2.61 years	3.0 × 10-9	50
Strontium-85	64.8 days	5.3 × 10-10	300
Strontium-89	50.5 days	3.8 × 10-9	40
Strontium-90	29 years	2.8 × 10-8	5
Sulphur-35	87.2 days	3.0 × 10-10	500
Technetium-99	2.13 × 105 years	6.7 × 10-10	200
Technetium-99m	6.01 hours	2.1 × 10-11	7000
Tellurium-129m	33.4 days	3.9 × 10-9	40
Tellurium-131m	32.4 hours	3.4 × 10-9	40
Tellurium-132	78.2 hours	3.5 × 10-9	40
Thallium-201	3.04 days	7.4 × 10-11	2000
Tritium	12.3 years	1.8 × 10-11	7000
Ytterbium-169	32.0 days	1.1 × 10-9	100
Yttrium-90	64 hours	4.2 × 10-9	30
Yttrium-91	58.5 days	4.0 × 10-9	30
Zinc-65	243.8 days	3.8 × 10-9	40
Zirconium-95	64.0 days	1.3 × 10-9	100

*DCF = Dose Conversion Factor