review · Iconic Research and Engineering Journals
A systematic review of studies published between 2000 and 2025 examines environmental radioactivity in air, soil, water, food, and building materials, alongside associated health risks. Radionuclides frequently identified across these media include uranium-238, thorium-232, potassium-40, radium-226, radon-222, and caesium-137. Radioactivity levels generally align with global averages, though elevated concentrations appear in mining districts and granite-rich areas. In most evaluated settings, estimated radiation doses remain below the public exposure limit of one millisievert per year. However, exceptions occur in high natural background zones and homes prone to radon. Long-term health concerns focus primarily on stochastic effects from ingesting contaminated food or water, as well as lung cancer risk driven by radon inhalation. Overall findings highlight radon as the primary contributor to public exposure and related health risk, indicating a need for ongoing monitoring, public education, and targeted radon mitigation strategies.
Understanding environmental radioactivity levels helps public health bodies and regulators distinguish safe baselines from hazardous exposures. Identifying high-risk environments such as mining sites, granite zones, and radon-prone homes allows authorities to target safety interventions effectively, safeguarding communities from long-term radiation hazards such as lung cancer and risks linked to contaminated food and water.
The findings indicate clear applications in environmental monitoring, indoor radon testing, and building mitigation services. Environmental consultants, public health agencies, and remediation firms could use these insights to prioritise radon screening and protective construction technologies in granite or mining regions. As a systematic review synthesising secondary data, the work itself is at the stage of foundational evidence rather than a deployable commercial tool.
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Environmental radioactivity contributes to population radiation exposure and originates from both natural and man-made sources. Understanding these levels and their health implications is critical for public health, environmental protection, and radiation safety policies. This work systematically reviews published evidence on environmental radioactivity levels across various environmental media and to evaluate associated health implications, including estimated radiation doses and reported health outcomes. PRISMA guidelines were followed in this review. Databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, and Google Scholar were screened for studies published between 2000 and 2025 quantifying environmental radioactivity in air, soil, water, food, or building materials and/or estimating human health risks or radiation doses were eligible studies. Study characteristics, measurement methods, radionuclides, dose estimates, and health outcomes were extracted. Used adapted Newcastle–Ottawa and exposure-assessment appraisal tools to assess bias. Due to heterogeneity, findings were narratively synthesised. Studies consistently found 238U, 232Th, 40K, 226Ra, 222Rn, and 137Cs in environmental media. Mining and granite-rich regions had elevated concentrations, but most regions were within global averages. In most studies, dose estimates were below the 1 mSv/yr public exposure limit, except in high natural background radiation areas and radon-prone homes. Long-term stochastic effects from ingestion pathways and lung cancer risk from radon exposure were the main health concerns. Regional radioactivity levels vary but are generally within international safety limits, with localised hotspots. Public exposure and health risk are most caused by radon. Radon mitigation, monitoring, and education are advised.
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DOI: 10.64388/irev9i6-1713221
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