title: Rapid determination of (210)Pb and (210)Po in water and application to marine samples.
abstract: Measurement of radionuclides in marine samples, specifically radioactive pairs disequilibrium, has gained interest lately due to their ability to trace cutting edge biogeochemical processes. In this context, we developed a fast, direct method for determining (210)Pb and (210)Po water through the use of ultra low-level liquid scintillation counting and alpha-particle spectrometry respectively and through Eichrom Sr resins for the Po-Pb separation. For (210)Pb analysis, the method uses stable lead as a yield tracer measured by a robust ICP-MS technique, and (210)Po is determined through self-deposition using the conventional (209)Po yield tracer. The improvements of the method over other techniques are: a) the analysis can be completed within 6 days, simplifying other methods, b) very low limits of detection have been achieved -0.12 and 0.005mBqL(-1) for (210)Pb and (210)Po, respectively - and c) most of the method could be carried out in on-board analysis. We applied the method to different aqueous samples and specifically to marine samples. We determined (210)Pb and (210)Po in the dissolved fraction of Mediterranean Sea water and an estuary at the South-West of Spain. We found that it can be successfully employed to marine samples but we recommend to i) use a minimum of 20L water to measure the (210)Pb in the dissolved phase by LSC and lower volumes to measure total concentrations; ii) wait for (210)Pb and (210)Bi in secular equilibrium and measure the total spectrum to minimise the limit of detection and improve accuracy.
authors: Dpto. Física Aplicada II, ETSIE, Universidad de Sevilla, Av. Reina Mercedes 4A, 41012 Sevilla, Spain. Electronic address: mvilla@us.es.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Villa-Alfageme
authors: Dpto. Fisica Aplicada I, Escuela Universitaria Politecnica, Universidad de Sevilla, Spain.
authors: J L
authors: JL
authors: Mas
authors: Centro de Investigación Tecnología e Innovación, CITIUS, Av. Reina Mercedes 4B, 41012 Sevilla, Spain.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Hurtado-Bermudez
authors: Departament de Física & Institut de Ciència I Tecnologia Ambientals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain; School of Natural Sciences, Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, Australia; The University of Western Australia Oceans Institute. University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Australia.
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Masqué
keywords: (210)Po – (210)Pb; Ion exchange chromatography; Liquid scintillation counting; Seawater; α-spectrometry, Sr resin