A study of various self deposition solutions for 210Po analysis in tap water

Experimental optimization of physicochemical factors for spontaneous deposition of 210Po using newly designed deposition kit

A simple spontaneous deposition kit for ²¹⁰Po determination using alpha spectrometry was newly designed, and polonium deposition characteristics under various physicochemical conditions were evaluated using it. The high-purity silver disc (99.99%) showed high deposition efficiencies of over 85.1% in the HCl concentration range of 0.01-6 M. Optimal physicochemical factors were determined to be a temperature of 90 °C, deposition time of 90 min, and the use of ascorbic acid as a reducing agent in an amount similar to that of the interfering element (Fe).

Radioactivity evaluation and radiation dosimetry assessment in Greek honey

Greek honey was examined for ²³⁸U, ²³⁴U, ²¹⁰Pb, ²¹⁰Po, ⁴⁰K, and ¹³⁷Cs levels. ²³⁸U was calculated from 0.013 ± 0.007 Bq kg^-1 to 0.10 ± 0.02 Bq kg^-1 while ²³⁴U ranged from 0.017 ± 0.009 Bq kg^-1 to 0.11 ± 0.03 Bq kg^-1. ²¹⁰Pb measured from 0.04 ± 0.02 Bq kg^-1 to 1.70 ± 0.26 Bq kg^-1 whereas ²¹⁰Po activity determined between 0.02 ± 0.01 Bq kg^-1 and 2.31 ± 0.34 Bq kg^-1. ⁴⁰ K found at the range of 7.9 ± 1.6 Bq kg^-1 to 102.2 ± 19.7 Bq kg^-1 and ¹³⁷Cs 0.3 ± 0.1 Bq kg^-1 up to 0.8 ± 0.1 Bq kg^-1. Uranium isotopes and ²¹⁰Po were determined via alpha spectrometry. ²¹⁰Pb was also indirectly determined by alpha spectrometry. ⁴⁰ K and ¹³⁷Cs were measured through γ-ray spectrometry. An annual dose calculation was performed for different age groups.

Applications of PERALS-Alpha Spectrometry for the Investigation of Radionuclides in Water Samples

In this paper, experiences of the last 20 years with the PERALS-technique are described. PERALS stands for photo electron-rejecting alpha liquid scintillation. This liquid scintillation technique was developed by Jack McDowell in the 1970s and is a powerful technique for the analyses of many natural alpha nuclides and also the beta nuclide ⁹⁰Sr. The principle is based on a selective extraction of the radionuclide from the water phase by means of a complexing or ion pair reagent. The extractant contains also a cocktail suitable for scintillation counting. Therefore, the extract can be analyzed directly after the extraction step. After removing quenchers, such as oxygen, and the proper setting of a pulse shape discriminator, alpha pulses can be counted with a photomultiplier. This paper describes the development of robust analysis schemes for the determination of traces of polonium, thorium, uranium and other actinides in water samples (groundwater, rain water, river water, drinking water, mineral water, sea water). For radon and radium, the enrichment in the extract is poor. Therefore, PERALS methods are not suitable for trace analyses of these analytes. In addition, the extraction of the beta-emitter ⁹⁰Sr with a PERALS cocktail is discussed, even though its beta spectrum is not analyzed with a PERALS counter. Results from the survey of drinking water and mineral water in Switzerland are presented for every radio element.