Re: alpha/beta ratios for radionuclide identification

["Andrew Karam" <akaram@safety.rochester.edu>]

Dear Teresa -

I played around with this a little bit for identifying natural/artificial
origin for alpha and beta emitters in groundwater.  Although you can go
through the decay series and count the total number of alpha and beta
decays from one end to the other, I found that, in nature, there wasn't a
great correlation and we still needed to do some alpha and gamma spec to be
definitive.  I think that part of the problem is the differant geochemical
and chemical properties of the different emitters plus the changing
properties of soil and groundwater, even over short distances.  You might
have better experience in the lab, but it turned out to be hard to do in
the field.  I would welcome comments from anyone having a different
experience.

Andy

Andrew Karam, MS, CHP				
RSO, University of Rochester			  
(716) 275-3781 (voice)						
(716) 256-0365 (fax)
akaram@safety.rochester.edu

"The mind is not a vessel to be filled  but a fire to be lighted" 
 Plutarch
************************************************************************
The RADSAFE Frequently Asked Questions list, archives and subscription
information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html