title: Analysis of radioxenon and Krypton-85 at the BfS noble gas laboratory.
abstract: Proportional counters and a β-γ coincidence system and their performance characteristics are described, with emphasis on internal and external quality controls. Typical limits of detection (LD) are 8mBqm-3for85Kr and 4mBqm-3for133Xe for the proportional counters, while for similar xenon volumes the LD for133Xe in the β-γ system is approximately 4 times lower. Results of comparative analyses agree above the limit of quantification. Xenon-133 levels in southern Germany are presently at or below the LD of the proportional counters, but above the LD of the β-γ system, which is now routinely used for analysis of environmental samples.
authors.affiliation: Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS), 79098 Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schlosser
authors.affiliation: Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS), 79098 Freiburg, Germany. Electronic address: abollhoefer@bfs.de.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bollhöfer
authors.affiliation: Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS), 79098 Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schmid
authors.affiliation: Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS), 79098 Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Krais
authors.affiliation: Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS), 79098 Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bieringer
authors.affiliation: Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS), 79098 Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Konrad