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Related Experiment Videos

Using tea as an artificial urine in a Canadian performance testing program for fission/activation products.

Joseph N Daka1, Gerry Moodie, Anthony DiNardo

  • 1*National Calibration Reference Centre, Radiation Protection Bureau, Health Canada, 775 Brookfield Road, P.L # 6302D, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1A 1C1.

Health Physics
|October 30, 2014
PubMed
Summary

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Researchers developed a stable black tea matrix for radioactivity testing, replacing urine. Adding alcohol instead of thimerosal prevented precipitation in fission/activation product testing, ensuring accurate results for performance testing programs.

Area of Science:

  • Radiochemistry
  • Analytical Chemistry
  • Radiation Protection

Background:

  • The National Calibration Reference Centre for Bioassay and In Vivo Monitoring (NCRC) sought alternatives to urine for performance testing programs (PTP).
  • Previous success with a thimerosal-preserved tea matrix for tritium, carbon-14, and DUAL (3H/14C) testing was noted.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a suitable black tea matrix for the fission/activation products (F/AP) PTP.
  • To address precipitation issues encountered with the thimerosal-preserved tea matrix in F/AP samples.

Main Methods:

  • A 1% black tea solution was tested for the F/AP PTP.
  • Thimerosal was replaced with approximately 5% alcohol (ethanol, methanol, or isopropanol) as a preservative.
  • Stability, clarity, and performance against the CNSC S-106 regulatory standard were evaluated.

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Main Results:

  • The thimerosal-preserved tea matrix formed precipitates with F/AP samples (133Ba, 137Cs, 57Co, 60Co).
  • Replacing thimerosal with alcohol eliminated precipitation, yielding a clear and stable tea matrix for at least 100 days.
  • The alcohol-preserved tea matrix met accuracy and precision requirements for the F/AP PTP.

Conclusions:

  • A stable and effective black tea matrix was successfully developed for the F/AP PTP.
  • Alcohol serves as a suitable preservative, resolving precipitation issues and enabling reliable performance testing.
  • This new matrix enhances the NCRC's capability for bioassay and in vivo monitoring.