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Determination of alpha contaminated soil profiles using Nuclear Track Detectors

  • Determination of Actinide Elements in Environmental Materials
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Abstract

Nuclear Track Detectors (NTD's) are a useful option forin situ measurements of the distribution of alpha contamination as a function of soil depth. The contamination profile of alpha emitting elements, e.g. Pu, Am and U, can be determined by detecting their alpha emission at varying depths. This paper discusses a “stake” type device, containing strips of CR-39 (allyl diglycol carbonate) that can be inserted into the soil up to ten centimeters or more, depending on the firmness of the soil. The CR-39 is exposed directly to the contaminated soil for a few hours. The “stake” is then withdrawn from the soil, the plastic detectors recovered and the alpha tracks developed by chemical etching with KOH. The distribution of tracks can be used to determine the alpha contamination depth profile as well as for detecting hot spots. It has a sensitivity of less than a pCi/g of soil.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Fisica UNAM, Apdo. Postal 20-364, 01000, Mexico, D.F., (Mexico)

    G. Espinosa

  2. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, P. O. Box 808 L 232, 94550, Livermore, CA, (USA)

    R. J. Silva

Authors
  1. G. Espinosa
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  2. R. J. Silva
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Work performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under contract W-7405-ENG-48.

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Espinosa, G., Silva, R.J. Determination of alpha contaminated soil profiles using Nuclear Track Detectors. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Articles 194, 207–212 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02037629

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02037629

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