Systematic radium survey in spring waters of Slovenia

Radium (226Ra) concentration in 115 Slovenian springs ranged from 7.8 to 43.1 Bq m−3, well below the current Slovenian limit of 1000 Bq m−3 for drinking water. It showed two distributions, one grouped at around 24 Bq m−3 and the other at around 37 Bq m−3. Contrary to expectation, the level of radium does not always relate to the aquifer type. Only at aquifers and springs composed of acid, intermediate and basic igneous and metamorphic rocks, did radium concentration exceed 36 Bq m−3 and was below this value at the majority of aquifers composed of carbonate and other sedimentary rocks.