title: Detection of terrestrial radionuclides with X-ray fluorescence analysis.
abstract: This paper provides an overview of analytical methods frequently used to identify terrestrial radionuclides in samples. While radioactivity is normally measured through the ionising radiation produced during the spontaneous decay of unstable atoms, selected radionuclides or their chemical elements can be quantified with instrumental techniques based on stimulated emission or counting of atoms. The advantages and disadvantages of these analytical methods are discussed. Particular attention is paid to X-ray fluorescence analysis of materials containing uranium and thorium. It is also possible to determine the area distributions of these chemical elements in samples with the use of scanning X-ray fluorescence systems.
authors.affiliation: Czech Technical University in Prague, Břehová 7, Prague 115 19, Czech Republic tomas.trojek@fjfi.cvut.cz.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Trojek
authors.affiliation: Czech Technical University in Prague, Břehová 7, Prague 115 19, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Čechák
mesh_terms: D001417:Background Radiation; D018534:Earth, Planet; D004577:Electron Probe Microanalysis; D006207:Half-Life; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D009501:Neutron Activation Analysis; D011197:Potassium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D011874:Radiometry / Q000379:methods*; D013052:Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission / Q000295:instrumentation; D013910:Thorium / Q000032:analysis; D014501:Uranium / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D011197:Potassium Radioisotopes; D011868:Radioisotopes; D014501:Uranium; D013910:Thorium