Abstract
Measurement uncertainties in the determination of 210Pb and 210Po in Reference Material IAEA-300 (Baltic Sea Sediment) were evaluated. 210Pb and 210Po were separated from the matrix using an Sr resin column. The chemical yield of 210Pb was determined gravimetrically in PbSO4 form. Precipitation was followed by beta proportional counting after 210Bi ingrowth. 210Po was determined by alpha spectrometry after its spontaneous deposition on a Cu planchet. The major source of uncertainty was identified as the statistical counting uncertainty, which was also expected and is almost impossible to reduce without extension of the time required for an analysis. The expanded uncertainties were determined as 7.4% and 12.2% for 210Pb and 210Po, respectively.
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Received: 3 September 2002 Accepted: 3 December 2002
Acknowledgement This work was financially supported by Ministry of Education, Science and Sport, Republic of Slovenia (Project group PO-0106–0532).
Presented at CERMM-3, Central European Reference Materials and Measurements Conference: The function of reference materials in the measurement process, May 30–June 1, 2002, Rogaška Slatina, Slovenia
Correspondence to P. Vreˇcek
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Vreˇcek, P., Benedik, L. Evaluation of measurement uncertainty in the determination of 210Pb and 210Po using beta counting and alpha spectrometry. Accred Qual Assur 8, 134–137 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00769-002-0577-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00769-002-0577-5