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Determination of cesium, rubidium and scandium in biological and environmental materials by neutron activation analysis

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Abstract

A simple method for the determination of cesium, rubidium and scandium in soil, vegetation and animal tissues by neutron activation analysis has been developed and evaluated. The methodology was designed to enable the comparison of fallout radiocesium from Chernobyl with stable elements in radioecological studies. Sample materials are dried and homogenized, and aliquots are irradiated, in sealed polyethylene vials (ca. 0.5 cm3), for 7 hours at a reactor flux of ca. 3·1012 n·cm−2·s−1. The activation products of interest have long half-lives, and are analyzed by high resolution γ-spectrometry after a cooling time of at least 12 days. The practical lower limits for determination of Cs, Rb and Sc are 3, 7 and 0.13 μg·kg−1 for soils and 10, 20, 0.4 μ·kg−1 for biological materials, respectively. Measurement of scandium levels in vegetation allows a straightforward correction to be made for soil contamination. Various applications to soil-grass-animal ecosystems are described.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Isotope and Electron Microscopy Laboratories, Agricultural University of Norway, P.O. Box 5026, N-1432, Aas, Norway

    D. H. Oughton

  2. Department of Chemistry, University of Manchester, M13 9PL, Manchester, England

    J. P. Day

Authors
  1. D. H. Oughton
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  2. J. P. Day
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Oughton, D.H., Day, J.P. Determination of cesium, rubidium and scandium in biological and environmental materials by neutron activation analysis. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Articles 174, 177–185 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02040345

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02040345

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