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A novel radionuclide-specific detector system for the measurement of radioactivity at steelworks

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Abstract

A new instrument to detect radioactive contamination in cast steel, slag and fume dust from steelworks is proposed. It is based on an electrically cooled HPGe detector. Experimental data presented show that it matches the requirements of the European Metrology Research Project “MetroMetal” and can replace, with significant advantages, existing equipment. The advantages (energy resolution, better nuclide identification) over common systems (scintillators) as well as drawbacks (lower efficiency) are discussed and typical MDAs values are presented together with the results from measurements of reference sources.

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Acknowledgments

This work is supported by the European Union under the Joint Research Project IND04 MetroMetal within the European Metrology Research Programme (EMRP). The EMRP is jointly funded by the EMRP participating countries within EURAMET and the European Union.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CIEMAT—Laboratorio de Metrología de Radiaciones Ionizantes, Avda. Complutense 40, 28040, Madrid, Spain

    E. García-Toraño, V. Peyres, B. Caro & M. Roteta

  2. PTB—Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, Bundesallee 100, 38116, Brunswick, Germany

    D. Arnold & O. Burda

  3. IFIN-HH-National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Reactorului 30, 077125, Magurele, Romania

    M.-R. Ioan

  4. ENEA—Istituto Nazionale di Metrologia delle Radiazione Ionizzanti, Rome, Italy

    P. De Felice

Authors
  1. E. García-Toraño
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  2. V. Peyres
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  3. B. Caro
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  4. M. Roteta
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  5. D. Arnold
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  6. O. Burda
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  7. M.-R. Ioan
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  8. P. De Felice
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to E. García-Toraño.

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García-Toraño, E., Peyres, V., Caro, B. et al. A novel radionuclide-specific detector system for the measurement of radioactivity at steelworks. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 305, 293–298 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-014-3901-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-014-3901-8

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