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Thick gas electron multipliers (THGEMs) are new types of gas detectors with merits such as a high counting rate, anti-radiation, high gain, robustness and relatively low cost. We establish an up-down THGEM detector hodoscope system for detecting and displaying muon tracks. Muon tracks can be well observed with the detectors and the present study lays an important technological foundation for the domestic and mass production of THGEMs.

An online monitoring technology of Pu-239 aerosol based on aerosol direct introduction device, membrane desolvation nebuliser and ICP-MS was established for workplaces of reprocessing plants. Briefly, 0.8 l min−1 Pu-239 aerosol from the workplace was introduced into the aerosol direct introduction device where the air was replaced by Argon, and then the aerosol was introduced into the ICP-MS for measurement. To determine the activity of Pu-239 aerosol, 1.10E−3 Bq ml−1 Pu-242 standard solution generated by a membrane desolvation nebuliser was used. The introduction efficiency of the nebuliser was determined by sampling the aerosol generated from the nebuliser with Lead Standard Solution by glass fiber filter, which was (26.82 ± 3.33) %. The mass bias between Pu-239 and Pu-242 for the ICP-MS measurement was determined by Pu-239 and Pu-242 standard solutions generated by the nebuliser, and mass discrimination correction factor for Pu-239/Pu-242 was 0.972 ± 0.010. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) of this system were calculated according to the ISO 20 899:2018, which were 2.24E−05 Bq m−3 and 7.45E−05 Bq m−3 with 1 min measurement. The main interference which was from U-238 was determined by U-238 standard solution generated by the nebuliser, and the interferences of U-238 to 239 was (8.50 ± 1.05) E−05. According to the counts of U-238 from several workplaces of reprocessing plant where this system was tested, 239 counts rate from the interferences of U-238 of those workplaces were at the same level of the system background counts, which meant that the LOD above was suitable for those places.

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