Israel and other Middle Eastern countries face possible
exposure to high levels of radioactivity of ancient underground water sources
in Jordan, researchers said on Wednesday.
Ancient wells in water-deprived Jordan have 20 times more
radiation than is considered safe for drinking, researchers said, raising
concern about water safety across the Middle East.
Their study showed that water from an underground source in
Jordan contained high levels of a naturally occurring radioactive particle
linked to some cancers, posing a health risk to thousands of people in central
Jordan who drink it.
Several other Middle Eastern countries have recently tried to
offset water shortages by tapping similar underground reservoirs, as growing
populations have overwhelmed supply.
Egypt, Libya and Saudi Arabia are also in danger of exposure
because these countries tap similar sources for drinking water and agriculture,
researchers said.
"It's water you don't want to drink," said Avner
Vengosh, a researcher at Duke University in the United States, who led the
study published in Environmental Science and Technology.
"Several studies have shown it is associated with high
levels of bone cancer. Others have even shown some association with
leukaemia."
Vengosh and colleagues examined water samples from 37
pumping wells in the Disi aquifer, along Jordan's southern border with Saudi
Arabia, for signs of radioactivity.
Jordan has expanded exploitation of the Disi aquifer as its
annual water use exceeds the capacity of its major river, the Yarmouk, and
over-pumping has made other sources too salty.
Officials had thought the low salt content of the pool
Vengosh's team looked at made it an ideal source of drinking water. But further
tests showed the water contained high levels of naturally occurring radium, a
radioactive particle.
"Ironically, the high quality of that water is what
makes it suitable for drinking," Vengosh said in a telephone interview.
The findings have implications for several Middle Eastern
countries facing water shortages which have turned to similar ancient
underground sources for supplies of fresh water.
"We suggest that high-radioactive groundwater may also
exist in these basins," the researchers said in a statement. "This
could pose health risks for a large population."
Libya is exploiting one aquifer on a massive scale, Israel
is using one for farming purposes and Jordan recently launched its e600 million
project to pump drinking water from the Disi aquifer toward Amman, a city of
3.1 million, Vengosh said.
The researchers recommended that health officials in the
region monitor the level of radioactivity in their water supplies, particularly
in Jordan where there is no official monitoring at present.
"There is a huge level of unawareness among the
population," Vengosh added
