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Direct analysis of air filter samples for alpha-emitting isotopes

  • Actinides in Biological and Environmental Systems
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Abstract

The traditional method for determination, of alpha-emitting isotopes on air filters has been to process the samples by radiochemical methods. However, this method is too slow for incidents involving radioactive materials where the determination of personnel dose is urgent. A method is developed to directly analyze the air filters taken from personal and area air monitors. The site knowledge is used in combination with alpha-spectral information to identify isotopes. A mathematical function is developed to estimate the activity for each isotope. The strengths and weaknesses of the method are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sandia National Laboratories, P.O. Box 5800, 87185-0651, Albuquerque, NM, USA

    A. H. Mohagheghi, F. Ghanbari, S. B. Ebara & M. E. Enghauser

  2. Westinghouse WIPP, 1509 Lincoln Drive, 88220, Carlsbad, NM, USA

    S. N. Bakhtiar

Authors
  1. A. H. Mohagheghi
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  2. F. Ghanbari
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  3. S. B. Ebara
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  4. M. E. Enghauser
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  5. S. N. Bakhtiar
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Mohagheghi, A.H., Ghanbari, F., Ebara, S.B. et al. Direct analysis of air filter samples for alpha-emitting isotopes. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 234, 261–266 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02389782

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02389782

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