Polonium-209: a new source of analytical tracer

Conference · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1979

OSTI ID:5678185

Figgins, P E; Casella, V R; Bishop, C T; Glosby, A A

Polonium-208, currently used as a tracer for polonium-210 determinations, is scarce and expensive. The nuclear properties indicate polonium-209 would have advantages as a tracer. A small amount of polonium-209 is formed during the neutron irradiation of bismuth-209 to form polonium-210. Short-lived polonium-210 decays out leaving polonium-209. Ten-year-old polonium foils were examined by GeLi counting and showed a definite spectrum of polonium-209. Alpha pulse height analysis of one sample showed polonium-209 to be 99% of the total count. This tracer was tested in the analysis of environmental samples.

• Research Organization: Mound Facility, Miamisburg, OH (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-C-04-0053
• OSTI ID: 5678185
• Report Number(s): MLM-2677(OP); CONF-791049-19
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY
400703* -- Radiochemistry & Nuclear Chemistry-- Radioisotope Production
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
ALPHA SPECTRA
ASHES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
COAL
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DECAY
ELECTRON CAPTURE RADIOISOTOPES
ENERGY SOURCES
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ISOTOPES
NUCLEI
POLONIUM 209
POLONIUM 210
POLONIUM ISOTOPES
RADIOISOTOPES
RESIDUES
SPECTRA
TRACER TECHNIQUES
USES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES