Determination of ²¹⁰Pb via ²¹⁰Bi Using a Hydride Generation Technique Combined with β-Spectrometry

Abstract

A procedure for the determination of 2 '°Pb is presented, which is based upon the /?-spectrometric assay (utilizing a liquid-scintillation counter) of 2,ü Bi in radioactive equilibrium. Separation of 210 Bi from the sample matrix as well as from other /^-emitters is achieved quickly, simply and selectively using a purge and trap technique based upon the generation and subsequent absorption of BiH 3 on a prepared filter paper. Advantages of this method include: 1) radioactive equilibrium between 2,0 Pb and 210 Bi is relatively quickly attained; 2) the external background signal in liquid-scintillation counting is very low; 3) no quenching corrections are necessary, as the sample matrix is invariant; and 4) because of the high counting efficiency, only short measuring times are required.

γ-Ray Spectrometric and α-Counting Method Comparison for the Determination of Pb-210 in Estuarine Sediments

“…Pb-210 in sediment samples can be detected and determined via its û -active daughter nuclide, Bi-210, 6 or its a -active granddaughter, Po-210, 7 and also by direct m easurem ent of Pb-210 in samples from its 46.5 keV g -particle emitted with a probability of 4%. 82 10 Due to the complexity of the wet chemistry involved, the m easurement of Pb-210 via Bi-210 has been used by ver y few researchers.…”

Recent progresses in analytical method development for 210Pb in environmental and biological samples

“…For the analysis of small amount of samples with low activity of 210 Pb, the well-type HPGe detector is commonly used due to its greater counting efficient in measuring the low-energy gamma rays of 210 Pb (Sima 2000 ). However, due to the low γ ray energy of 210 Pb, low branching ratio (4.25%), the self-absorption effect within the sample becomes significant, and in many cases results in insufficient detection limit for environmental and biological applications (Gogrewe et al 1996 ; Hussain et al 1996 ). Many factors such as sample composition and density need to be calibrated for the full-energy peak efficiency, among which the self-absorption correction for 210 Pb measurement is particularly important (Hurtado et al 2007 ).…”

Performance Characteristics of Sequential Separation and Quantification of Lead‐210 and Polonium‐210 by Ion Exchange Chromatography and Nuclear Spectrometric Measurements

“…Determination of 210 Pb can be performed directly using nondestructive gamma‐ray spectrometry at 46.5 keV (Yener and Uysal, 1996; Zielinski and Budahn, 1998; Shenber, 2002). This method has relative advantages in terms of rapidity of measurement and that it does not require preliminary chemical separation in preparing the samples; however, it is limited by low emission probability of the gamma line and the often difficult corrections for self absorption in some sample matrices (Gogrewe et al, 1996; Banford et al, 1998; Pilvio et al, 1999).…”