title: The re-evaluation of the234mPa's 1001.03 keV gamma emission absolute intensity for the precise assessment of238U.
abstract: In this study the commonly used f-value for the 1001.03 keV (0.835 ± 0.004%) energy transition of the234mPa was re-evaluated due to an obvious consistent overestimation of the238U activity concentration. Different calibration protocols, samples' matrices and geometries, and gamma-ray spectrometers were exploited in order to assure the accuracy of the derived data. An average positive relative bias of about 24% from the currently used f-value was estimating leading to newly adopted f-value of 1.037 ± 0.052%. This newly suggested f-value will lead to an improvement in the accurate assessment process of the238U using gamma-ray spectrometry in both environmental and nuclear safeguard fields.
authors.affiliation: Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Fayoum University, Fayoum, Egypt. Electronic address: yasser.ebaid@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Y Y
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Ebaid
authors.affiliation: Physics Department, Faculty of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority, Cairo, Egypt. Electronic address: khater_ashraf@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: A E M
authors.initials: AEM
authors.lastname: Khater
mesh_terms: D002138:Calibration; D011848:Radioactive Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D013051:Spectrometry, Gamma / Q000379:methods*; D014501:Uranium / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D011848:Radioactive Pollutants; D014501:Uranium
keywords: (234m)Pa; (238)U; 1001 keV; Gamma-ray spectrometry; f-value