PubMed · 10376535
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K Kasper. 1999. In-situ Object Counting System.. https://doi.org/10.1097/00004032-199907000-00003
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Institutional radiation safety programs routinely use wipe test sampling and liquid scintillation counting analysis to indicate the presence of removable radioactive contamination. Significant volumes of liquid waste can be generated by such surveillance activities, and the subsequent disposal of these materials can sometimes be difficult and costly. In settings where large numbers of negative results are regularly obtained, the limited grouping of samples for analysis based on expected value statistical techniques is possible. To demonstrate the plausibility of the approach, single wipe samples exposed to varying amounts of contamination were analyzed concurrently with nine non-contaminated samples. Although the sample grouping inevitably leads to increased quenching with liquid scintillation counting systems, the effect did not impact the ability to detect removable contamination in amounts well below recommended action levels. Opportunities to further improve this cost effective semi-quantitative screening procedure are described, including improvements in sample collection procedures, enhancing sample-counting media contact through mixing and extending elution periods, increasing sample counting times, and adjusting institutional action levels.
A new method to trace back average radon concentrations in dwellings over several decades in time has been developed. This retrospective radon monitor is based on the measurement of the alpha activity of 210Po deposited in volume traps, e.g., spongy materials used for mattresses and cushions. Polyester samples with different densities have been exposed to radon-laden air. The exposures correspond to characteristic radon concentrations between 390 Bq m-3 and 3.9 kBq m-3 over a 20 y period. The precision in converting the 210Po-signal to the radon exposure has been improved by more than one order of magnitude compared to other common techniques. It is shown that this very sensitive method may be applied to almost all types of volume traps used in households.