[ RadSafe ] Mango's Tooth Fairy Sr Radiochemistry

[Nielsen, Erik]

Mango has documented the methods used for his NJ Toothfairy project.  It
can be found at:
http://unplugsalem.org/radioactive_strontium.htm

As a radiochemist I have a number of concerns about the analytical
methodology.

1. The seperation technique is not elementally specific and is not
generally accepted as accurate.  Specifically there is no seperation
chemistry to remove radium.  This could result in a high bias based on
naturally occurring Ra-226 and Ra-228 codeposited with calcium.  New
Jersey is known to have Ra-226/228 and Ra-224 issues in their drinking
water.  The seperation chemistry is so non specific that they purport to
precipitate yttrium with the calcium and strontium.

2. Liquid scintillation efficiencies are affected by chemical and color
quenching.  The method is unclear on quench corrrections. The efficiency
was calculated using standards in a different acid composition than the
samples.

3.  Statistical errors made in calculating detection limits based on
backgrounds counting significantly longer than sample counting times.
Unclear if backgrounds are the same acid compostion as the samples.

4. No yield correction attempted for recovery fraction of the stable
carriers added.

5. Nothing other than self referential material found on google for
Radiological and Environmental Measurement Systems of Waterloo, Candada.
It's only customers seem to be anti-nuclear activist organizations:
Military Toxics Project, National Gulf War Resource Center and the Tooth
Fairy Project. 



Erik C. Nielsen 
Senior Scientist 
Remote Sensing Laboratory 
P.O. Box 98521, M/S RSL-47 
Las Vegas, NV 89193-8521 

http://www.nv.doe.gov/nationalsecurity/homelandsecurity/frmac/default.ht
m 

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