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The determination of210Pb and210Po in biological and environmental materials

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Abstract

The naturally-occurring radionuclides,210Pb and210Po (22 y and 138.4d half-lives, respectively), are important for their contributions to the natural radiation dose in the environment and from technologically-enhanced sources. A description is presented of the methods for the analysis of these nuclides in which the samples are ashed at low temperature by wet ashing or with atomic oxygen (low-temperature asher). The method uses plating of the Po at two different times onto silver disks which are then counted. The polonium daughter is used to determine both the210Pb and210Po using the Bateman equations for radioactive growth and decay. The tracer and non-tracer methods are compared for efficiency.

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References

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  1. R. B. Holtzman

    Present address: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Region III, 799 Rooseyelt Road, 60137, Glen Ellyn, Illinois, (USA)

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    1. R. B. Holtzman
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    Holtzman, R.B. The determination of210Pb and210Po in biological and environmental materials. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Articles 115, 59–70 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02041976

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    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02041976

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