Use of large gamma-ray detector to measure 131I in milk and water at low levels.
A lower limit of detection of 0.04 Bq L-1 for measuring 131I in milk or water with a gamma-ray spectrometer was achieved with a large 118% intrinsic germanium detector. Three-liter samples with 131I tracer in a reentrant beaker were counted within a lead shield for 12,000 to 55,000 s to demonstrate detection at this concentration. Samples of milk collected at dairies and counted for 28,000 s showed no 131I at this level (as expected), but 137Cs from fallout was detected in some samples near its detection limit of 0.03 Bq L-1.
Nuclear Engineering and Health Physics Program, School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta 30332-0225, USA.
R
R
Rosson
R
R
Garcia
B
B
Kahn
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis; D005507:Food Contamination, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D005720:Gamma Rays; D005845:Georgia; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry*; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis*; D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis
D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive; D014867:Water