The use of bismuth radionuclides in analysis. Part II. The determination of radon in waters

Abstract

A rapid radiochemical method is described for determining radon in water, based on the equilibrium of bismuth-214 with its parent radon. This bismuth isotope is precipitated from solution by n-propyl gallate, with inactive bismuth as a carrier. The precipitate of bismuth propyl gallate is collected on a filter, dried, mounted anti p-counted on a conventional instrument. The lower limit of sensitivity is about 20 picocuries per litre when a simple Geiger assembly is used.The storage in polythene containers of water samples taken for analysis is not recommended, as this polymeric material can absorb radon gas from aqueous solutions.RADIOCHEMICAL DETERMINATION OF RADON VIA BISMUTH-214-THE radioactive disintegration products of natural radium are produced according to the decay scheme shown in Table I, the daughter nuclei being indicated in descending order. The minor branching at radium C by a emission to thallium-210 has been omitted from the Table, since 99.96 per cent. of the disintegrations are , & decays, the branching ratio being 2500 in favour of polonium-214.