A DEVICE FOR MEASUREMENT OF THORON IN THE BREATH
A device was developed to measure thoron in the breath of human subjects. It depends upon the adsorption of thoron on a cooled, charcoal particle covered plate which is adjacent to a ZnS coated lucite disc seen by a 5-in.-dia. photomultiplier tube. In its present form it will measure thoron referred to the patient's mouth with a sensitivity of 0.7 counts per minute per pico-curie of thoron per minute with a background of less than 0.2 counts per minute. If a 10 l/min ventilation rate is assumed, the system would detect thoron in concentrations of 0.1 pico-curies per liter breath. The minimum level for measurement in 10 min is a breath output of 10 pico-curies per min. It is also shown that, when used to measure Th/sup 228/ in solution, the device has a sensitivity of 1.6 counts per minute per pico-curie of Th/sup 228/. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Rochester, N.Y. Univ. Atomic Energy Project
- NSA Number:
- NSA-17-014652
- OSTI ID:
- 4749376
- Report Number(s):
- UR-619
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
MEASUREMENT OF THORON IN THE BREATH
A DEVICE TO MEASURE THORIUM-228 AT NATURAL LEVELS