Abstract
A field performance test was conducted at the INEL with the mobile Rapid Transuranic Monitoring Laboratory (RTML) that was developed for the analysis of samples from sites or facilities potentially contaminated with plutonium, other actinides, and γ-ray emitting activation and fission-product radionuclides. The performance test and results are described for the Photon Analysis Spectrometer System (PASS), one of three RTML assay systems. This system consists of a thin-window, n-type Ge spectrometer, that automatically analyzes soil, smear, and air particulate-filter samples for actinides emitting L x rays, and for activation and fission products that emit γ rays. The measurements were blind and performed with 11-g soil samples gathered from the Cold Test Pit and with spiked samples containing known mixtures of239Pu,241Am60Co, and137Cs. In the spiked samples the plutonium activity concentrations ranged from ∼75 to ∼500 pCi/g while the other radionuclides ranged from ∼10 to ∼130 pCi/g. Lower limits of detection (LLDs) were verified to be 1, 5, 5, and 40 pCi/g for241Am,60Co,137Cs, and239Pu, respectively. Results from the performance test are presented.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
C. V. McIssac, C. W. Sill, R. J. Gehrke, E. W. Killian, K. D. Watts, and C. R. Amaro, US DOE “Report No. EGG-WTD-10898, Oct. 1993.
F. P. Brauer, J. M. Kelly, R. W. Goles, J. E. Fager, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science,NS-24, (1977) 591.
I. S. Sherman, M. G. Strauss, and R. H. Pehl, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science,NS-27, (1980) 695.
G. Trujillo, J. W. Nyhan, and J. M. Crowell, US DOE Report LA-8376-LLWM, 1980.
J. K. Hartwell, US DOE Report RE-P-81-022, February 1981.
L. O. Johnson, E. W. Killian, R. G. Helmer, R. Coates, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, vol. NS-28, February 1981, p638.
E. W. Killiam and J. K. Hartwell, US DOE Report EGG-2533, May 1988.
L. A. Currie,Anal. Chem.,40 (1968) 586.
K. Debertin and U. Schoetzig, Nucl. Instrum. and Meth.,158 (1979) 471.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gehrke, R.J., Watts, K.D. & Amaro, C.R. Field performance test of PASS, an instrument for the rapid assay of plutonium and other γ-ray emitting radionuclides. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Articles 194, 221–228 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02037631
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02037631