On the measurement of 40K in natural and synthetic materials by the method of high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometry

N. Lavi; F. Groppi; Z. B. Alfassi

doi:10.1016/j.radmeas.2003.11.005

On the measurement of ⁴⁰K in natural and synthetic materials by the method of high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometry

N. Lavi, F. Groppi, Z. B. Alfassi

Unit of Nuclear Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

40 Scopus citations

Abstract

In the measurement of natural occurring radioactive material (NORM) concentrations of ⁴⁰K, ²³²Th and ²³⁸U are measured by passive gamma ray spectrometry with either HPGe or NaI(Tl) detectors. ⁴⁰K is measured through its 1460.8keVγ line. However, till now it has been ignored that this line is mixed with the 1459.2 keV line of ²²⁸Ac from the chain of ²³²Th. A correction must be made for this contribution. All the data in literature has wrong data about the concentration of ⁴⁰K although in many cases the error is less than 1%. However, there are cases of considerably higher errors. It should be emphasized that even if the correction in ⁴⁰K concentration is large the correction of external dose index is negligible due to the higher weighing factor for ²³²Th than for ⁴⁰K (by at least a factor of 10).

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	139-143
Number of pages	5
Journal	Radiation Measurements
Volume	38
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radmeas.2003.11.005
State	Published - 1 Apr 2004

Keywords

Gamma spectrometry
K concentration in NORM
NORM

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Radiation
Instrumentation

Access to Document

10.1016/j.radmeas.2003.11.005

Cite this

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title = "On the measurement of 40K in natural and synthetic materials by the method of high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometry",

abstract = "In the measurement of natural occurring radioactive material (NORM) concentrations of 40K, 232Th and 238U are measured by passive gamma ray spectrometry with either HPGe or NaI(Tl) detectors. 40K is measured through its 1460.8keVγ line. However, till now it has been ignored that this line is mixed with the 1459.2 keV line of 228Ac from the chain of 232Th. A correction must be made for this contribution. All the data in literature has wrong data about the concentration of 40K although in many cases the error is less than 1%. However, there are cases of considerably higher errors. It should be emphasized that even if the correction in 40K concentration is large the correction of external dose index is negligible due to the higher weighing factor for 232Th than for 40K (by at least a factor of 10).",

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AU - Lavi, N.

AU - Groppi, F.

AU - Alfassi, Z. B.

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Y1 - 2004/4/1

N2 - In the measurement of natural occurring radioactive material (NORM) concentrations of 40K, 232Th and 238U are measured by passive gamma ray spectrometry with either HPGe or NaI(Tl) detectors. 40K is measured through its 1460.8keVγ line. However, till now it has been ignored that this line is mixed with the 1459.2 keV line of 228Ac from the chain of 232Th. A correction must be made for this contribution. All the data in literature has wrong data about the concentration of 40K although in many cases the error is less than 1%. However, there are cases of considerably higher errors. It should be emphasized that even if the correction in 40K concentration is large the correction of external dose index is negligible due to the higher weighing factor for 232Th than for 40K (by at least a factor of 10).

AB - In the measurement of natural occurring radioactive material (NORM) concentrations of 40K, 232Th and 238U are measured by passive gamma ray spectrometry with either HPGe or NaI(Tl) detectors. 40K is measured through its 1460.8keVγ line. However, till now it has been ignored that this line is mixed with the 1459.2 keV line of 228Ac from the chain of 232Th. A correction must be made for this contribution. All the data in literature has wrong data about the concentration of 40K although in many cases the error is less than 1%. However, there are cases of considerably higher errors. It should be emphasized that even if the correction in 40K concentration is large the correction of external dose index is negligible due to the higher weighing factor for 232Th than for 40K (by at least a factor of 10).

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