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Title: Rapid monitoring of soil, smears, and air dusts by direct large-area alpha spectrometry

Abstract

Experimental conditions to permit rapid monitoring of soils, smears, and air dusts for transuranic (TRU) radionuclides under field conditions are described. The monitoring technique involves direct measurement of alpha emitters by alpha spectrometry using a large-area detector to identify and quantify the radionuclides present. The direct alpha spectrometry employs a circular gridded ionization chamber 35 cm in diameter which accommodates either a circular sample holder 25 cm in diameter or a rectangular one 20 by 25 cm (8 by 10 in.). Soils or settled dusts are finely ground, suspended in 30% ethanol, and sprayed onto a 25-cm stainless steel dish. Air dusts are collected with a high-volume sampler onto 20- by 25-cm membrane filters. Removable contamination is collected from surfaces onto a 20- by 25-cm filter using an 18-cm (7-in.) paint roller to hold the large filter in contact with the surface during sample collection. All three types of samples are then counted directly in the alpha spectrometer and no other sample preparation is necessary. Some results obtained are described.

Authors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
EG and G Idaho, Inc., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
5563926
Report Number(s):
EGG-WTD-10080
ON: DE92012528
DOE Contract Number:
AC07-76ID01570
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; 46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; DUSTS; RADIATION MONITORING; GAMMA SPECTROMETERS; COUNTING TECHNIQUES; RADIOISOTOPES; SOILS; LIMITING VALUES; SAMPLE PREPARATION; SAMPLING; ISOTOPES; MEASURING INSTRUMENTS; MONITORING; SPECTROMETERS; 540230* - Environment, Terrestrial- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- (1990-); 540130 - Environment, Atmospheric- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- (1990-); 440103 - Radiation Instrumentation- Nuclear Spectroscopic Instrumentation

Citation Formats

Sill, C.W. Rapid monitoring of soil, smears, and air dusts by direct large-area alpha spectrometry. United States: N. p., 1992. Web. doi:10.2172/5563926.
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Sill, C.W. Rapid monitoring of soil, smears, and air dusts by direct large-area alpha spectrometry. United States. doi:10.2172/5563926.
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Sill, C.W. Wed . "Rapid monitoring of soil, smears, and air dusts by direct large-area alpha spectrometry". United States. doi:10.2172/5563926. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/5563926.
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@article{osti_5563926,
title = {Rapid monitoring of soil, smears, and air dusts by direct large-area alpha spectrometry},
author = {Sill, C.W.},
abstractNote = {Experimental conditions to permit rapid monitoring of soils, smears, and air dusts for transuranic (TRU) radionuclides under field conditions are described. The monitoring technique involves direct measurement of alpha emitters by alpha spectrometry using a large-area detector to identify and quantify the radionuclides present. The direct alpha spectrometry employs a circular gridded ionization chamber 35 cm in diameter which accommodates either a circular sample holder 25 cm in diameter or a rectangular one 20 by 25 cm (8 by 10 in.). Soils or settled dusts are finely ground, suspended in 30% ethanol, and sprayed onto a 25-cm stainless steel dish. Air dusts are collected with a high-volume sampler onto 20- by 25-cm membrane filters. Removable contamination is collected from surfaces onto a 20- by 25-cm filter using an 18-cm (7-in.) paint roller to hold the large filter in contact with the surface during sample collection. All three types of samples are then counted directly in the alpha spectrometer and no other sample preparation is necessary. Some results obtained are described.},
doi = {10.2172/5563926},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1992},
month = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1992}
}
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Technical Report:
View Technical Report (2.80 MB)
DOI:  10.2172/5563926
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  • Experimental conditions to permit rapid monitoring of soils, smears, and air dusts for transuranic (TRU) radionuclides under field conditions are described. The monitoring technique involves direct measurement of alpha emitters by alpha spectrometry using a large-area detector to identify and quantify the radionuclides present. The direct alpha spectrometry employs a circular gridded ionization chamber 35 cm in diameter which accommodates either a circular sample holder 25 cm in diameter or a rectangular one 20 by 25 cm (8 by 10 in.). Soils or settled dusts are finely ground, suspended in 30% ethanol, and sprayed onto a 25-cm stainless steel dish.more » Air dusts are collected with a high-volume sampler onto 20- by 25-cm membrane filters. Removable contamination is collected from surfaces onto a 20- by 25-cm filter using an 18-cm (7-in.) paint roller to hold the large filter in contact with the surface during sample collection. All three types of samples are then counted directly in the alpha spectrometer and no other sample preparation is necessary. Some results obtained are described.« less

  • ;
    This test plan defines experimental parameters for evaluating rapid techniques for monitoring transuranic (TRU) nuclides in soils, smears, and air dusts in a field application setting. The monitoring techniques include direct alpha spectrometry using a large-area detector and direct measurement of x-rays to determine quantitatively the activity present. The direct alpha spectrometry employs a circular ionization chamber 35 cm in diameter which accommodates a sample holder 25 cm in diameter. Experimental conditions necessary to obtain sufficient spectral resolution to permit identification of the alpha emitters present are described. The x-ray method involves the counting of L x-rays emitted in themore » alpha decay of plutonium radionuclides with a thin-window, high-resolution Ge spectrometer. By optimization of the spectrometer, including detector dimensions and resolution of the sample container diameter and thickness and of the methods of analysis, measurements of activities as small as 30 pCi/g for soil and 3 {times} 10{sup {minus}4} pCi/L for air dusts collected for 1 hour at 20 cfm might be achieved in a 1-hour count. These test plans define objectives, instrumental and experimental procedures, and requirements for data quality and safety. 12 refs., 1 fig.« less

  • - Health Physics
    During retrieval and disposition of wastes containing transuranium elements, continuous monitoring of the air, water, and soil for alpha emitters was required to ensure that safety limits were not exceeded and the waste itself was not disturbed unknowingly. Direct measurements by alpha spectrometry were particularly promising because of their potential speed, sensitivity, and their ability to identify transuranium radionuclides under field conditions. Soil samples or settled dusts were finely ground, suspended in 80% ethanol, sprayed onto circular stainless steel pans, and dried on a hotplate. Water samples were mounted directly by spraying. Air dusts were collected with a high-volume airmore » sampler on 20- by 25-cm membrane filters. The samples were then analyzed directly in a large pressurized gridded ionization chamber without further sample preparation. 8 refs., 12 figs., 1 tab.« less

  • ;

  • ;
    A procedure is discussed for the fluorometric determination of millimlcrogram quantities of uranium. Descriptions are given of instrumentation, reagents, sample preparation, fusion techniques, separation procedure, cleaning the equipment, and calculation of the results. The detection limit is -0.2 m mu g of uranium, and the precision of measurement at the 50-m mu g level is 5%, both at the 95% confidence level. (B.O.G.)