Simultaneous determination of 241Pu, 238Pu and 239,240Pu in low activity environmental samples

Sample preparation methods for the determination of plutonium and strontium in environmental samples by low level liquid scintillation counting and α-spectrometry

“…The ratio of 241 Pu to 239,240 Pu in global fallout due to the atmospheric nuclear weapon tests was about 15 at the beginning of the 1960's [23,25]. At the time of the analysis of our samples, this ratio was about 2.5-3.…”

“…At the time of the analysis of our samples, this ratio was about 2.5-3. The ratio of 238 Pu to 239,240 Pu in global fallout was found to be on the average 0.03 [23][24][25]. In the Chernobyl fallout, the ratio of 241 Pu to 239,240 Pu, calculated at the time of the analysis of our samples, was 50 [21] Strontium 90 Sr has been measured in different matrices by liquid scintillation counting [27].…”

Determination of Low Level 241Pu in Environmental Samples by Liquid Scintillation Counting

“…A few procedures using modern instrumentation have been reported [1][2][3] although the simultaneous determination of 239 ' 240 Pu and 241 Pu in the same sample using a single measurement was performed in the early 1970s [4]. This is mostly a result of the difference in the radiation characteristics of these nuclides.…”

Determining 241Pu in environmental samples: case studies in alpine soils

“…This method is hindered by a lack of accuracy in comparison to direct methods because of a high uncertainty and high detection limit [5], and it also requires a lengthy storage of the samples before the analysis [5,7]. Among the direct methods, low-level liquid scintillation counting (LSC) is most commonly used for quantifying 241 Pu [11][12][13][14][15]. New generations of LSC systems discriminate α and β events based on the differences in the de-excitation times of the triplet and singlet states in the solvent caused by high-energy α-particles and β particles respectively.…”