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Standardization of 241Am by digital coincidence counting, liquid scintillation counting and defined solid angle
C Balpardo1, M E Capoulat, D Rodrigues
1Laboratorio de Metrología de Radioisótopos, CNEA, Buenos Aires, Argentina. balpardo@cae.cnea.gov.ar
Standardizing Americium-241 (241Am) solutions was achieved using digital coincidence counting. Three independent methods showed excellent agreement, ensuring accurate radioactivity measurements for this important radionuclide.
Area of Science:
- Nuclear Physics
- Radiochemistry
- Metrology
Background:
- Americium-241 (241Am) is a key radionuclide with applications in various fields.
- Accurate standardization of 241Am solutions is crucial for reliable measurements.
- Alpha decay of 241Am populates excited states in Neptunium-237 (237Np).
Purpose of the Study:
- To standardize a solution of 241Am using alpha-gamma coincidence counting.
- To compare the results with independent measurement techniques.
- To analyze and compare uncertainties associated with different standardization methods.
Main Methods:
- Digital coincidence counting with efficiency extrapolation.
- Alpha-gamma coincidence counting using a pressurized proportional counter with electronic discrimination.
- Liquid scintillation counting utilizing the logical sum of double coincidences in a Total-Delayed-Coincidence-Ratio (TDCR) array.
- Defined solid angle counting considering activity inhomogeneity.
Main Results:
- Consistent results were obtained from the three independent standardization methods.
- Agreement between methods was within a 0.3% limit.
- Detailed uncertainty analysis was performed for each technique.
Conclusions:
- Digital coincidence counting provides a reliable method for 241Am standardization.
- The consistency across multiple techniques validates the measurement accuracy.
- The standardized 241Am solution is suitable for submission to the International Reference System (SIR).
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