Gamma-ray spectrometry of radon in water and the role of radon to representatively sample aquifers.
Measurement of radon in water by gamma-ray spectrometry using a HPGe detector has been investigated to determine aquifer characteristics. The radon activity concentration is determined by taking the weighted average of the concentrations derived from gamma-ray lines associated with (214)Pb and (214)Bi decay. The role of accurate radon data to representatively sample aquifers was also investigated by studying a semi-cased borehole. A simplified physical model describing the change of radon concentration with the pumping time, reproduces the data and predicts the time for representative sampling of the aquifer.
Department of Physics, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville 7535, South Africa. stalha@uwc.ac.za
S A
SA
Talha
R
R
Lindsay
R T
RT
Newman
R J
RJ
de Meijer
P P
PP
Maleka
I N
IN
Hlatshwayo
N A
NA
Mlwilo
A K
AK
Mohanty
D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D011886:Radon / Q000032:analysis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D013019:South Africa; D013051:Spectrometry, Gamma / Q000379:methods*; D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*
D011868:Radioisotopes; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive; D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive; D011886:Radon