Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 11, 2025

Speciation and Bioavailability Measurements of Environmental Plutonium Using Diffusion in Thin Films
Published on: November 9, 2015
A sensitive method to determine 210Po and 210Pb in environmental samples by alpha spectrometry using CuS
Stephanie Walsh1, Matthew J Bond2, Nicolas Guérin2
1Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, Chalk River Laboratories, Chalk River, ON, K0J 1J0, Canada. Stephanie.Walsh@cnl.ca.
Abstract:
A new sensitive method to determine polonium-210 (210Po) and lead-210 (210Pb) in a diversity of environmental samples was developed. For fresh and marine waters, Po was pre-concentrated using a titanium (III) hydroxide (Ti(OH)3) co-precipitation. Solid environmental samples were digested with nitric acid (HNO3) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The alpha thin layer source was prepared using CuS micro-precipitation and 210Po was measured by alpha spectrometry. Lead-210 was left to decay for up to a year and indirectly measured via its progeny, 210Po. The chemical recoveries for 210Po and 210Pb were high, 90% and 97%, respectively, for a large variety of samples and a very low minimum detectable activity (MDA) was obtained. The method was validated using standardized solutions and certified reference materials.
Related Concept Videos
Atomic Emission Spectroscopy: Lab
Precipitation and Co-precipitation
Precipitation Gravimetry
In determining nickel by gravimetric analysis, a precipitant of ethanolic dimethylglyoxime is added to a hot nickel salt solution. This is quickly followed by the dropwise addition of dilute ammonia solution until precipitation occurs. A...
Atomic Emission Spectroscopy: Overview
Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy: Lab
Solutions containing organic solvents, such as low-molecular-mass alcohols, esters, or ketones, enhance absorbances by increasing...
Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy: Principle
The ions and electrons produced interact with the fluctuating magnetic field created by a water-cooled...

