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Impact of lowering potassium contamination in liquid scintillation cocktails for ultra-sensitive radiation detection

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Abstract

Intrinsic \(^{40}\)K radioactive backgrounds from impurities of natural K in liquid scintillation cocktails have previously been demonstrated to limit their use in ultra-sensitive applications. This work explores two methodologies in parallel for the reduction of \(^{40}\)K backgrounds in the cocktails, and lays the groundwork for use in ultra-sensitive applications. In one method, alternative low-K liquid scintillation matrix constituents were identified and in the other, a simple purification method for single components and finished cocktails was developed. Both methods were verified via ICP-MS analysis. Liquid scintillation counting of selected purified cocktails demonstrated background reduction, improved stability, and enhanced performance. The best performing purified cocktail was also counted on a custom-built ultra-low background liquid scintillation counter, with results below the detector background.

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Acknowledgements

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is operated by Battelle for the United States Department of Energy (DOE) under Contract no. DE-AC05-76RL01830. This work was funded by National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Research and Development. The authors would like to thank Abdul Ibrahim at National Diagnostics, Shaun Smyth, James Thomson, and Vikki Binns from Meridian Biotechnologies, and Betsy Moran from PerkinElmer for providing samples, and for useful discussions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352, USA

    N. D. Rocco, I. J. Arnquist, H. O. Back, M. Bliss, M. L. di Vacri, E. R. Edwards, B. R. Hackett, E. W. Hoppe, S. M. Lyons & A. Seifert

  2. Savannah River National Laboratory, Aiken, SC, 29808, USA

    M. Bronikowski & A. Swindle

  3. Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, 11973, USA

    R. Rosero & M. Yeh

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  1. N. D. Rocco
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  6. M. L. di Vacri
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Correspondence to N. D. Rocco.

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Rocco, N.D., Arnquist, I.J., Back, H.O. et al. Impact of lowering potassium contamination in liquid scintillation cocktails for ultra-sensitive radiation detection. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 332, 4223–4229 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-023-09105-x

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