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Measurement of low levels of radioactivity with a large well germanium detector

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Abstract

Described is the application of a state-of-the-art germanium detector containing a 25.4-mm diameter by 50-mm deep well for low-level activity gamma-spectrometry measurements. Detector calibration with examples of absolute efficiency curves at different in-well sample heights and the results of experiments to determine the effect of sample matrices to gamma-ray adsorption are presented. Radioanalytical methods described include the measurements of 241,243Am: (1) in water samples after preconcentration and (2) in dissolved neodymium fluoride (NdF3) microprecipitates. These procedures were achievable because of the well detector’s ability to accommodate a relatively large sample volume. A rapid method for the dissolution of NdF3 microprecipitates for gamma counting is also described.

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  1. Environmental Measurements Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, 201 Varick Street, New York, NY, 10014, USA

    R. J. Lagomarsino & N. Latner

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  1. R. J. Lagomarsino
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  2. N. Latner
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Lagomarsino, R.J., Latner, N. Measurement of low levels of radioactivity with a large well germanium detector. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 274, 39–43 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-006-6891-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-006-6891-3

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