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Determination of alpha-emitting isotopes of uranium and thorium in vegetables and excreta

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Abstract

A radiochemical procedure for the determination of alpha-emitting isotopes of uranium and thorium in vegetables and excreta has been optimized, involving sample dissolution, separation by ionic exchange resin, electrodeposition and alpha-spectroscopy. Uranium and thorium isotopes were determined separately to prevent interference of 228Th from 232U tracer with 228Th from natural series of 232Th. This procedure was applied to faeces from people living in the Poços de Caldas plateau, a high natural radioactivity region of Brazil, and vegetables from the Laboratory of Environmental Monitoring (EML/DOE). Results show a chemical recovery of 80–95% for uranium and 46–72% for thorium.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratório de Poços de Caldas, Comissão Nacional de Energia Nuclear, COLAB/CNEN, CP 913, 37701-970, Poços de Caldas, MG, Brazil

    M. H. T. Taddei, N. C. Silva & M. Cipriani

  2. Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura, Universidade de São Paulo, CENA/USP, CP 96, 13400-970, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil

    N. C. Silva & E. A. N. Fernandes

Authors
  1. M. H. T. Taddei
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  2. N. C. Silva
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  3. E. A. N. Fernandes
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  4. M. Cipriani
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Taddei, M.H.T., Silva, N.C., Fernandes, E.A.N. et al. Determination of alpha-emitting isotopes of uranium and thorium in vegetables and excreta. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry 248, 483–486 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010621301872

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