Deterministic analysis and Monte Carlo-Based Health Risk Assessment of Seasonal Radon Exposure in Groundwater and Soil of Meghalaya, India

Deterministic analysis and Monte Carlo-Based Health Risk Assessment of Seasonal Radon Exposure in Groundwater and Soil of Meghalaya, India | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Deterministic analysis and Monte Carlo-Based Health Risk Assessment of Seasonal Radon Exposure in Groundwater and Soil of Meghalaya, India Hari Prasad Jaishi, Devashree Borgohain, Ramesh Chandra Tiwari, and 3 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6655894/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 10 Nov, 2025 Read the published version in Scientific Reports → Version 1 posted 12 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract This study investigates seasonal variations of radon in groundwater and soil, along with associated radiological risks, in Baridua Village, Meghalaya, India-a region with uranium-rich geology. Groundwater samples and soil samples (n = 30) were collected during summer (August-September 2024) and winter (January-February 2025). Radon in water was measured via emanometry, while soil radon, radium content, and exhalation rates were assessed using LR-115 detectors in sealed cans. Results revealed significantly higher mean radon concentrations in groundwater during summer (57.87 Bq L − 1 ) compared to winter (29.30 Bq L − 1 ), with 93% of summer samples exceeding the USEPA limit (11.1 Bq L − 1 ). Soil radon averaged 938.57 Bq m − 3 (summer) and 777.14 Bq m − 3 (winter), with radium content (3.05 Bq kg − 1 and 2.53 Bq kg − 1 ) below global averages. Health risk assessments showed that inhalation was the dominant exposure pathway, with total effective doses exceeding the WHO/UNSCEAR limit (100 µSv y − 1 ) in summer for adults (137.72 µSv y − 1 ) and children (147.46 µSv y − 1 ). Monte Carlo simulations indicated a 52.95% probability of children exceeding the threshold. Soil radon contributed minimally to alpha equivalent doses (< 1 mSv y − 1 ), though a 6% exceedance probability was noted under a worst-case scenario. Earth and environmental sciences/Environmental sciences/Environmental chemistry/Environmental monitoring Physical sciences/Physics/Applied physics Radon groundwater soil seasonal variation health risk Monte Carlo simulation Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 10 Nov, 2025 Read the published version in Scientific Reports → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 30 Jun, 2025 Reviews received at journal 28 Jun, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 13 Jun, 2025 Reviews received at journal 13 Jun, 2025 Reviews received at journal 05 Jun, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 27 May, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 27 May, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 27 May, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 27 May, 2025 Editor invited by journal 27 May, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 26 May, 2025 First submitted to journal 13 May, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-6655894","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":462946505,"identity":"725469be-2d43-46fb-a4a4-2e6ce0f81033","order_by":0,"name":"Hari Prasad 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India","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"scientific-reports","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"scirep","sideBox":"Learn more about [Scientific Reports](http://www.nature.com/srep/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Scientific Reports","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Scientific Reports","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Radon, groundwater, soil, seasonal variation, health risk, Monte Carlo simulation","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6655894/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6655894/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThis study investigates seasonal variations of radon in groundwater and soil, along with associated radiological risks, in Baridua Village, Meghalaya, India-a region with uranium-rich geology. Groundwater samples and soil samples (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;30) were collected during summer (August-September 2024) and winter (January-February 2025). Radon in water was measured via emanometry, while soil radon, radium content, and exhalation rates were assessed using LR-115 detectors in sealed cans. Results revealed significantly higher mean radon concentrations in groundwater during summer (57.87 Bq L\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e) compared to winter (29.30 Bq L\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e), with 93% of summer samples exceeding the USEPA limit (11.1 Bq L\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e). Soil radon averaged 938.57 Bq m\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;3\u003c/sup\u003e (summer) and 777.14 Bq m\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;3\u003c/sup\u003e (winter), with radium content (3.05 Bq kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e and 2.53 Bq kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e) below global averages. Health risk assessments showed that inhalation was the dominant exposure pathway, with total effective doses exceeding the WHO/UNSCEAR limit (100 \u0026micro;Sv y\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e) in summer for adults (137.72 \u0026micro;Sv y\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e) and children (147.46 \u0026micro;Sv y\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e). Monte Carlo simulations indicated a 52.95% probability of children exceeding the threshold. Soil radon contributed minimally to alpha equivalent doses (\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;1 mSv y\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e), though a 6% exceedance probability was noted under a worst-case scenario.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Deterministic analysis and Monte Carlo-Based Health Risk Assessment of Seasonal Radon Exposure in Groundwater and Soil of Meghalaya, India","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-05-30 09:35:20","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6655894/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2025-06-30T04:27:26+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-06-28T17:33:28+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"215020633537103353083314165053766530617","date":"2025-06-13T05:34:43+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-06-13T04:54:10+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-06-05T09:36:33+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"298494699605434486463734258493274557315","date":"2025-05-28T00:50:04+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"220301390682131011134731421996848107809","date":"2025-05-28T00:46:47+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2025-05-27T23:54:06+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-05-27T23:38:58+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvited","content":"","date":"2025-05-27T19:19:35+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2025-05-26T11:21:24+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Scientific Reports","date":"2025-05-13T13:18:25+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"scientific-reports","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"scirep","sideBox":"Learn more about [Scientific Reports](http://www.nature.com/srep/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Scientific Reports","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Scientific Reports","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"13e1bada-3eb8-4acc-a550-b7cef230d836","owner":[],"postedDate":"May 30th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"published-in-journal","subjectAreas":[{"id":49155951,"name":"Earth and environmental sciences/Environmental sciences/Environmental chemistry/Environmental monitoring"},{"id":49155952,"name":"Physical sciences/Physics/Applied physics"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-11-17T15:59:20+00:00","versionOfRecord":{"articleIdentity":"rs-6655894","link":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-22957-5","journal":{"identity":"scientific-reports","isVorOnly":false,"title":"Scientific Reports"},"publishedOn":"2025-11-10 15:57:00","publishedOnDateReadable":"November 10th, 2025"},"versionCreatedAt":"2025-05-30 09:35:20","video":"","vorDoi":"10.1038/s41598-025-22957-5","vorDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-22957-5","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-6655894","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-6655894","identity":"rs-6655894","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}