Gross alpha determination in drinking water using a highly specific resin and LSC

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Radiochemistry

Background:

• Monitoring alpha-emitting nuclides in drinking water is crucial for public health.
• Existing methods may face challenges with complex matrices like high-calcium water.
• Development of highly specific extraction materials is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present results from experiments using a new highly specific resin for extracting alpha-emitting nuclides from drinking water.
• To evaluate the resin's affinity for actinides and radium in the presence of calcium.
• To develop and validate a method for determining gross-alpha activity.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a new extraction chromatographic resin composed of reagents and extractants on a polymeric substrate.
• Tested the resin's affinity for tri-, tetra-, and hexavalent actinides and radium.
• Employed alpha-/beta-discrimination liquid scintillation counting (alpha-/beta-LSC) for direct measurement of extracted nuclides.
• Optimized counting conditions for accurate determination.

Main Results:

• The new resin demonstrated strong affinity for actinides and radium, even with high calcium concentrations.
• Gross-alpha activities were successfully determined by direct measurement of the dried resin.
• The developed method was tested using intercomparison and spiked drinking water samples, showing reliable performance.

Conclusions:

• The developed extraction chromatographic resin is highly specific and effective for removing alpha-emitting nuclides and radium from drinking water.
• The alpha-/beta-LSC method using this resin provides a reliable approach for monitoring water safety.
• This advancement offers a valuable tool for environmental radiochemical analysis.