title: Determining the optimum sample volume for environmental airborne radioactivity monitoring.
abstract: A methodology to determine the optimum air sample volume for environmental airborne radioactivity monitoring is described. For environmental airborne radioactivity measurements at the Hanford Site, the optimum sample volume was determined to be approximately 1,000 m3. At this volume the counting statistics advantage with increasing flow rate and sampling time levels off, and above this volume the potential for particulate fall-off from filters, alpha attenuation during gross radioactivity counting, and stress on the sampling pumps become limiting considerations.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Radiation Monitoring and Assessment, Office of Radiation Protection, Washington State Department of Health, 309 Bradley Blvd., Suite 201, Richland, WA 99352, USA.
authors.forename: Gary F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Boothe
authors.forename: Garland Mike R
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Priddy
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Ruben
authors.forename: Debra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McBaugh
mesh_terms: D000336:Aerosols; D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive