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Title: Radon discrimination for work place air samples

Abstract

Gross alpha/beta measurement systems are designed solely to identify an incident particle as either an alpha or a beta and register a count accordingly. The tool of choice for radon identification, via decay daughters, is an instrument capable of identifying the energy of incident alpha particles and storing that information separately from detected alpha emissions of different energy. In simpler terms, the desired instrument is an alpha spectroscopy system. K Basins Radiological Control (KBRC) procured an EG&G ORTEC OCTETE PC alpha spectroscopy system to facilitate radon identification on work place air samples. The alpha spectrometer allows for the identification of any alpha emitting isotope based on characteristic alpha emission energies. With this new capability, KBRC will explicitly know whether or not there exists a true airborne concern. Based on historical air quality data, this new information venue will reduce the use of respirators substantially. Situations where an area remains ``on mask`` due solely to the presence of radon daughters on the grab air filter will finally be eliminated. This document serves to introduce a new method for radon daughter detection at the 183KE Health Physics Analytical Laboratory (HPAL). A new work place air sampling analysis program will be described throughoutmore » this paper. There is no new technology being introduced, nor any unproven analytical process. The program defined over the expanse of this document simply explains how K Basins Radiological Control will employ their alpha spectrometer.« less

Authors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Westinghouse Hanford Co., Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
10190887
Report Number(s):
WHC-SD-SNF-LB-001
ON: DE95001649; BR: 35AF11201/35AF11202; TRN: 94:021230
DOE Contract Number:
AC06-87RL10930
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: 27 Sep 1994
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS; 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; RADON; RADIATION MONITORING; ALPHA SPECTROMETERS; PERFORMANCE; DAUGHTER PRODUCTS; INDOOR AIR CONTAMINATION; 053002; 540130; RADIOACTIVE EFFLUENTS; RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS MONITORING AND TRANSPORT

Citation Formats

Bratvold, T. Radon discrimination for work place air samples. United States: N. p., 1994. Web. doi:10.2172/10190887.
Bratvold, T. Radon discrimination for work place air samples. United States. doi:10.2172/10190887.
Bratvold, T. Tue . "Radon discrimination for work place air samples". United States. doi:10.2172/10190887. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/10190887.
@article{osti_10190887,
title = {Radon discrimination for work place air samples},
author = {Bratvold, T.},
abstractNote = {Gross alpha/beta measurement systems are designed solely to identify an incident particle as either an alpha or a beta and register a count accordingly. The tool of choice for radon identification, via decay daughters, is an instrument capable of identifying the energy of incident alpha particles and storing that information separately from detected alpha emissions of different energy. In simpler terms, the desired instrument is an alpha spectroscopy system. K Basins Radiological Control (KBRC) procured an EG&G ORTEC OCTETE PC alpha spectroscopy system to facilitate radon identification on work place air samples. The alpha spectrometer allows for the identification of any alpha emitting isotope based on characteristic alpha emission energies. With this new capability, KBRC will explicitly know whether or not there exists a true airborne concern. Based on historical air quality data, this new information venue will reduce the use of respirators substantially. Situations where an area remains ``on mask`` due solely to the presence of radon daughters on the grab air filter will finally be eliminated. This document serves to introduce a new method for radon daughter detection at the 183KE Health Physics Analytical Laboratory (HPAL). A new work place air sampling analysis program will be described throughout this paper. There is no new technology being introduced, nor any unproven analytical process. The program defined over the expanse of this document simply explains how K Basins Radiological Control will employ their alpha spectrometer.},
doi = {10.2172/10190887},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Sep 27 00:00:00 EDT 1994},
month = {Tue Sep 27 00:00:00 EDT 1994}
}

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