Proposal to correct for the effect of background and density in the determination of gamma emitters using sodium iodide detectors

This study develops a modification to the spectra decomposition method for sodium iodide scintillation equipment, including correcting the natural background counts for the activity concentration calculation. A comparison of the results obtained between two sodium iodide detectors of 2 X 2 in and 3...

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Main Authors: Ana Milena Velásquez, Fernando Mosos, Giovanni Vela
Format: Article
Language:Spanish
Published: Servicio Geológico Colombiano 2021-10-01
Series:Revista Investigaciones y Aplicaciones Nucleares
Subjects:
Online Access:https://revistas.sgc.gov.co/index.php/invapnuclear/article/view/593
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author Ana Milena Velásquez
Fernando Mosos
Giovanni Vela
author_facet Ana Milena Velásquez
Fernando Mosos
Giovanni Vela
author_sort Ana Milena Velásquez
collection DOAJ
description This study develops a modification to the spectra decomposition method for sodium iodide scintillation equipment, including correcting the natural background counts for the activity concentration calculation. A comparison of the results obtained between two sodium iodide detectors of 2 X 2 in and 3 x 3 in versus a hyper-pure germanium detector of 50 % relative efficiency is performed for soil, sediment, and water samples. It is found that background correction significantly improves activity concentration results in higher energy regions. The concentration values determined by the different spectrometric systems for the samples analyzed do not show significant differences, which supports the results obtained with the proposed calculation method. The uncertainty associated with the measurement and detection limits for the NaI (Tl) detectors is higher than those obtained with the GeHp detector due to the operation of the two technologies and the presence of interferences in the regions of interest. The study carried out in this work establishes an analytical milestone. The methodological model proposed makes it possible to quantify, with reliable results, low concentration levels of NORM materials and even 131I using sodium iodide detectors, among other analytical applications of general interest.
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spelling doaj.art-fac4050998f2423b94107d5d968745812023-01-12T19:33:42ZspaServicio Geológico ColombianoRevista Investigaciones y Aplicaciones Nucleares2590-74682711-13262021-10-01510.32685/2590-7468/invapnuclear.5.2021.593369Proposal to correct for the effect of background and density in the determination of gamma emitters using sodium iodide detectorsAna Milena Velásquez0Fernando Mosos1Giovanni Vela2Dirección de Asuntos Nucleares, Servicio Geológico Colombiano, Bogotá, ColombiaDirección de Asuntos Nucleares, Servicio Geológico Colombiano, Bogotá, ColombiaDirección de Asuntos Nucleares, Servicio Geológico Colombiano, Bogotá, Colombia This study develops a modification to the spectra decomposition method for sodium iodide scintillation equipment, including correcting the natural background counts for the activity concentration calculation. A comparison of the results obtained between two sodium iodide detectors of 2 X 2 in and 3 x 3 in versus a hyper-pure germanium detector of 50 % relative efficiency is performed for soil, sediment, and water samples. It is found that background correction significantly improves activity concentration results in higher energy regions. The concentration values determined by the different spectrometric systems for the samples analyzed do not show significant differences, which supports the results obtained with the proposed calculation method. The uncertainty associated with the measurement and detection limits for the NaI (Tl) detectors is higher than those obtained with the GeHp detector due to the operation of the two technologies and the presence of interferences in the regions of interest. The study carried out in this work establishes an analytical milestone. The methodological model proposed makes it possible to quantify, with reliable results, low concentration levels of NORM materials and even 131I using sodium iodide detectors, among other analytical applications of general interest. https://revistas.sgc.gov.co/index.php/invapnuclear/article/view/593Modification methodNORM materialssodium iodide detectoractivity concentration
spellingShingle Ana Milena Velásquez
Fernando Mosos
Giovanni Vela
Proposal to correct for the effect of background and density in the determination of gamma emitters using sodium iodide detectors
Revista Investigaciones y Aplicaciones Nucleares
Modification method
NORM materials
sodium iodide detector
activity concentration
title Proposal to correct for the effect of background and density in the determination of gamma emitters using sodium iodide detectors
title_full Proposal to correct for the effect of background and density in the determination of gamma emitters using sodium iodide detectors
title_fullStr Proposal to correct for the effect of background and density in the determination of gamma emitters using sodium iodide detectors
title_full_unstemmed Proposal to correct for the effect of background and density in the determination of gamma emitters using sodium iodide detectors
title_short Proposal to correct for the effect of background and density in the determination of gamma emitters using sodium iodide detectors
title_sort proposal to correct for the effect of background and density in the determination of gamma emitters using sodium iodide detectors
topic Modification method
NORM materials
sodium iodide detector
activity concentration
url https://revistas.sgc.gov.co/index.php/invapnuclear/article/view/593
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AT fernandomosos proposaltocorrectfortheeffectofbackgroundanddensityinthedeterminationofgammaemittersusingsodiumiodidedetectors
AT giovannivela proposaltocorrectfortheeffectofbackgroundanddensityinthedeterminationofgammaemittersusingsodiumiodidedetectors