Determination of 226Ra contamination depth in soil using the multiple photopeaks method

Radioactive contamination presents a diverse range of challenges in many industries. Determination of radioactive contamination depth plays a vital role in the assessment of contaminated sites, because it can be used to estimate the activity content. It is determined traditionally by measuring the a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of environmental radioactivity 2014-02, Vol.128, p.33-37
Main Authors: Haddad, Kh, Al-Masri, M.S., Doubal, A.W.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis methods
Applied sciences
Attenuation
Bismuth - analysis
Contamination depth
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics
Exact sciences and technology
In-situ gamma spectrometry
Multiple photopeaks
NORM
Pollution
Pollution, environment geology
Radiation Monitoring - methods
Radioisotopes - analysis
Radium - analysis
Soil and sediments pollution
Soil Pollutants, Radioactive - analysis
Spectrometry, Gamma - methods
Syria
Thorium - analysis
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Summary:Radioactive contamination presents a diverse range of challenges in many industries. Determination of radioactive contamination depth plays a vital role in the assessment of contaminated sites, because it can be used to estimate the activity content. It is determined traditionally by measuring the activity distributions along the depth. This approach gives accurate results, but it is time consuming, lengthy and costly. The multiple photopeaks method was developed in this work for 226Ra contamination depth determination in a NORM contaminated soil using in-situ gamma spectrometry. The developed method bases on linear correlation between the attenuation ratio of different gamma lines emitted by 214Bi and the 226Ra contamination depth. Although this method is approximate, but it is much simpler, faster and cheaper than the traditional one. This method can be applied for any case of multiple gamma emitter contaminant. •The multiple photopeaks method was developed for 226Ra contamination depth determination using in-situ gamma spectrometry.•The method bases on linear correlation between the attenuation ratio of 214Bi gamma lines and 226Ra contamination depth.•This method is simpler, faster and cheaper than the traditional one, it can be applied for any multiple gamma contaminant.
ISSN:0265-931X
1879-1700
DOI:10.1016/j.jenvrad.2013.10.025