Improvements on lead-210 and polonium-210 determination in environmental materials

Abstract

Improvements in analytical methodology for the determination of²¹⁰Pb and²¹⁰Po in environmental materials have been the subject of continuing study. Early work showed that the most time-consuming part of the analysis was the wet ashing stage. Investigations have now been carried out to improve this part of the analytical scheme. This paper describes a modified method that has been developed and tested and which has been in routine use for about one year. The time required for the analysis has been reduced and the spectral quality of the sources has been improved. Test samples gave chemical recoveries that were higher, but this improvement has not yet been observed in operational work. Some analytical schemes in which²¹⁰Pb and²¹⁰Po are to be determined in the same sample require the addition of stable lead carrier. In some cases, this can lead to the addition of significant quantities of²¹⁰Po. The results of an investigation of the²¹⁰Po content of various lead carriers are described and the implications of their use on the determination of²¹⁰Po in environmental materials are discussed.