Accounting for 222Rn loss during oven drying for the immediate laboratory gamma-ray spectroscopy of collected soil samples.
Drying soil samples in an oven to remove water alters the 222Rn emanation rate. Measurements of the oven drying 222Rn emanation rate from soil were made with a continuous radon monitor and the degree of 222Rn disequilibrium was quantified by laboratory gamma-ray spectroscopy. This paper presents a disequilibrium correction where the 226Ra activity in oven-dried soil samples is inferred from immediate laboratory gamma-ray spectroscopy of 214Bi before 222Rn and its decay progeny reach secular equilibrium.
Benke
R R
RR
University of Michigan, Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, Ann Arbor 48109-2104, USA.
Kearfott
K J
KJ
D005720:Gamma Rays; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D011886:Radon / Q000032:analysis*; D017687:Radon Daughters / Q000032:analysis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D013057:Spectrum Analysis / Q000379:methods
D017687:Radon Daughters; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive; D011886:Radon