Analysis of Environmental Radionuclides (eBook)

Cover 1
Contents 6
Foreword 8
Chapter 1. Statistical sampling design for radionuclides 10
1. Introduction 10
2. Sampling to estimate spatial pattern 16
3. Other sampling methods and some common problems 19
4. Conclusions 21
Acknowledgements 21
References 21
Chapter 2. Sampling techniques 24
1. Introduction 24
2. Optimization of sampling 30
3. Field sampling 42
4. Sampling technologies 44
References 50
Chapter 3. Detection and quantification capabilities in nuclear analytical measurements 56
1. Introduction 56
2. Historical perspective 58
3. Detection decisions and detection, quantification capabilities: introduction to the basic concepts and relationships 61
4. The signal (S-) domain 66
5. The concentration (x-) domain 73
6. Multiple detection decisions multicomponent and multivariate detection limits
7. Background, baseline, blank (ultimate limitations) 90
8. Two low-level data quality issues 119
Appendix A:Worked examples, and critical valves of test statistic 126
Notes 137
References 138
Chapter 4. Radiometric determination of anthropogenic radionuclides in seawater 144
1. Introduction 144
2. Analytical method for 137Cs analysis in seawater 146
3. Analytical method for 90Sr 153
4. Analytical method for plutonium in seawater 156
5. Sequential treatment of seawater samples 164
6. Conclusion 164
References 165
Chapter 5. Monte Carlo simulation of background characteristics of gamma-ray spectrometers-a comparison with experiment 170
1. Introduction 170
2. Sources of detector background 171
3. Fluxes of cosmic muons 178
4. Physics of the simulation 182
5. Monte Carlo simulation codes 189
6. Simulation results and discussion 194
7. Comparison of modeling and experimental results 200
8. Conclusions 211
Acknowledgements 213
References 213
Chapter 6. Underground laboratories for low-level radioactivity measurements 216
1. Introduction 216
2. Cosmic rays and the influence of depth on the background 218
3. Natural radioactivity 223
4. Cosmic rays in surface and underground laboratories 227
5. Selected underground laboratories 233
6. Detectors and detection modes 239
7. Applications 241
8. Conclusions 243
Acknowledgements 243
References 243
Chapter 7. Accelerator mass spectrometry of long-lived light radionuclides 248
1. Introduction 248
2. The NSF Arizona Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Laboratory 250
3. Sample pretreatment and processing 251
4. Radiocarbon studies 254
5. 10Be studies 262
6. 26Al and 129I studies 264
7. Conclusions 264
Acknowledgements 264
References 265
Chapter 8. Accelerator mass spectrometry of long-lived heavy radionuclides 270
1. Introduction 270
2. Principles of AMS as applied to heavy radionuclides 271
3. Advantages of AMS relative to conventional mass spectrometry 275
4. Advantages of AMS relative to alpha-spectrometry 276
5. Detailed description of AMS methodology 276
6. Implementation at various laboratories 283
7. Efficiency 287
8. Backgrounds 288
9. Sample preparation 291
10. Applications 292
11. Summary 297
References 298
Chapter 9. Analysis of radionuclides using ICP-MS 302
1. Introduction 302
2. Analysis of Pu-isotopes 308
3. Analysis of 237Np 317
4. Analysis of 99Tc 320
5. Analysis of 129I 325
6. Analysis of 90Sr, 135Cs and 137Cs 327
7. Analysis of 241Am 329
8. Analysis of 210Pb 329
9. Analysis of 226Ra 330
10. Analysis of U and Th isotopes 331
References 332
Chapter 10. Resonance ionization mass spectrometry for trace analysis of long-lived radionuclides 338
1. Introduction 338
2. Principles of resonance ionization mass spectrometry 339
3. Applications of RIMS 345
4. Conclusion and outlook 356
References 357
Chapter 11. Environmental radioactive particles: A new challenge for modern analytical instrumental techniques in support of radioecology 362
1. Introduction 362
2. Characterization of depleted uranium particles 364
3. Characterization of uranium-containing particles originating from a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant 366
4. Characterization of U/Pu particles from an inadvertent destruction of nuclear weapons 369
5. Conclusions 374
Acknowledgements 375
References 375
Chapter 12. Activation analysis for the determination of long-lived radionuclides 378
1. Introduction 378
2. Principle of activation analysis 379
3. Methodology and equipment 381
4. Advantage of activation analysis for the determination of long-lived radionuclides 390
5. Application of activation analysis in the determination of long-lived radionuclides in environmental samples 391
6. Conclusion 408
References 408
Chapter 13. In situ and airborne gamma-ray spectrometry 414
1. Introduction 414
2. Gamma ray spectrometry systems and calibration 428
3. In situ gamma-ray spectrometry 434
4. Aerial gamma-ray spectrometry 444
5. Summary and conclusions 449
Acknowledgements 450
References 450
Chapter 14. Underwater gamma-ray spectrometry 456
1. Introduction 456
2. Mobile detection systems 458
3. Stationary detection system 460
4. Deployment of underwater gamma-ray spectrometers 463
5. Conclusions 482
Acknowledgements 482
References 483
Author Index 488
Subject Index 532