Date of Award
12-2011
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Legacy Department
Environmental Engineering and Science
Committee Chair/Advisor
DeVol, Timothy
Committee Member
Powell , Brian
Committee Member
DiPrete , David
Abstract
A novel method was investigated for the quantification of 210Po in water as an alternative to the standard method of spontaneous plating onto Ag disks followed by quantification with an alpha spectrometer. The novel method concentrated a 0.5L sample by MnO2 co-precipitation followed by dissolution of the precipitate into a solution. Polonium-210 was separated from the solution and quantified in a column containing a 50:50 by volume mixture of Pb resin (Eichrom Technologies, Inc.) mixed with granulated CaF2:Eu scintillator. The column containing 210Po is quantified on a liquid scintillation counter without the introduction of liquid cocktail. The minimum detectable concentration (MDC) is 53 mBq/L for the novel method compared to 2 mBq/L for the standard method. This MDC of the novel method meets the WHO limit of 100 mBq/L, but is significantly higher than the standard method. Polonium-210 concentrations were determined for five groundwaters from locations in upstate region of South Carolina and Nevada. The 210Po concentration as determined for the novel method ranged from
Recommended Citation
Matheny, Tara, "Investigation of a Novel Method for Polonium-210 Determination in Groundwater" (2011). All Theses. 1291.
https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_theses/1291