Determination of sup 222 Rn and sup 226 Ra in environmental waters by liquid-scintillation counting

Journal Article · Thu Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1987 · Environment International; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0160-4120(88)90011-6· OSTI ID:6039532

Cooper, E L; Brown, R M; Milton, G M ^[1]

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1. Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories, Ontario (Canada)

Radon-222 in environmental waters is determined by a procedure where 15 mL of sample is added to 5 mL of toluene-scintillator in a glass vial and radon is extracted into the scintillator. The vials are counted in an inverted position so that the water seals in the radon. The presence of {sup 222}Rn supported by {sup 236}Ra can be detected by observing growth in a sample which has been nitrogen-purged. The minimum detectable activity is about 0.5 Bq/L. This can be lowered by extracting 100 mL of sample with 20 mL of scintillator and separating the scintillator for counting. Radium-226 in environmental waters and leachates can be determined by coprecipitation of Ra with BaSO{sub 4} using {sup 133}Ba as a yield tracer, dissolving the BaSO{sub 4} in alkaline EDTA and extracting ingrowing {sup 222}Rn into toluene-scintillator for counting. Use of 100 mg Ba and limited sulfate permits the analysis of high Ca waters. Tests with {sup 133}Ba indicate that the yield of BaSO{sub 4} is acceptable and that interference from {sup 133}Ba in the counting of Rn can be eliminated by raising the energy threshold of the Rn channel. 4 refs., 2 figs., 3 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 6039532
• Journal Information: Environment International; (USA), Journal Name: Environment International; (USA) Vol. 14:4; ISSN 0160-4120; ISSN ENVID
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540330* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ALKALINE EARTH ISOTOPES
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BARIUM 133
BARIUM ISOTOPES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CARBON 14 DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
COUNTING TECHNIQUES
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELECTRON CAPTURE RADIOISOTOPES
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
HEAVY ION DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
HEAVY NUCLEI
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
INTERNAL CONVERSION RADIOISOTOPES
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ISOTOPES
MONITORING
NUCLEI
POLLUTION
RADIATION MONITORING
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIUM 226
RADIUM ISOTOPES
RADON 222
RADON ISOTOPES
SCINTILLATION COUNTING
TRACER TECHNIQUES
WATER POLLUTION
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES