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High resolution alpha spectroscopy by liquid scintillation techniques. Master's thesis

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6380574
The use of high-resolution liquid scintillation spectroscopy is described as an inexpensive and rapid method for the determination of radium-226 (an identified health hazard) and other alpha-emitting radionuclides in environmental water samples. Procedures are reported for measuring radium-226, uranium-238, and uranium-234, affording positive identification, high sensitivity due to pulse shape discrimination, and rapid sample preparation. No environmental water samples examined were found to have measurable levels of radium-226. Nonetheless, radium-226 can be detected, measured, and positively identified down to a level of 4 pCi/liter, with a recovery efficiency of 47%. The method was optimized for environmental radiation measurements by: optimizing the energy resolution; reducing the background by use of pulse shape discrimination; and optimizing the scintillation fluor. Since the extractant used will extract any actinide series element, the instrumentation and techniques developed can be applied to other areas (e.g., measurement of plutonium and uranium in environmental effects studies of the nuclear fuel cycle). Measurements of the polonium 218, 214, and 210 isotopes, and radon-222, were also made. With the present energy resolution, an alpha energy identification to within 0.4 MeV is possible.
Research Organization:
Maine Univ., Orono (USA)
OSTI ID:
6380574
Report Number(s):
PB-82-236563
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

440103* -- Radiation Instrumentation-- Nuclear Spectroscopic Instrumentation
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
520301 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- Water-- (1987)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
ALPHA SPECTROSCOPY
GROUND WATER
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
ISOTOPES
LIQUID SCINTILLATION DETECTORS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
OPTIMIZATION
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RADIATION DETECTORS
RADIATION HAZARDS
RADIOASSAY
RADIOISOTOPES
SCINTILLATION COUNTERS
SPECTROSCOPY
WATER