Experimental investigation of mass efficiency curve for alpha radioactivity counting using a gas-proportional detector.
Gross alpha counting of evaporated water residues offers a simple method for screening alpha radioactivity in water for both public health and emergency purposes. The evaporation process for water has been improved by using a combination of roughening of the surface of counting planchettes, two-stage evaporation, and temperature-controlled block heating. The efficiency of the gas-proportional detector for alpha-particle detection in water residues was studied as a function of sample mass-thickness in the range between 0.1 and 13 mg cm(-2). The effect of alpha energy on the efficiency, as well as moisture absorption on the samples, were studied using (230)Th, (238)U, (239)Pu, (241)Am, and (244)Cm radionuclides. Also, alpha-to-beta crosstalk was investigated as a function of sample mass for (230)Th, (238)U, (239)Pu, (241)Am, and (244)Cm. The improved method can also be applied for gross alpha detection in biological fluids.
Semkow
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TM
New York State Department of Health, Wadsworth Center, Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12201-0509, USA. tms15@health.state.ny.us
Bari
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Parekh
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Haines
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Gao
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Bolden
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Dahms
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Scarpitta
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Thern
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Velazquez
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