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DETERMINATION OF 90SR/90Y IN WHEAT GRAINS, SOIL, AND DEPOSITION SAMPLES BY TBP EXTRACTION AND CERENKOV COUNTING
Abstract
Within the framework of radioecological studies, 90Sr was determined in wheat grains, soil, and deposition
samples. The radiochemical purification of 90Y consisted of liquid-liquid extraction by tributyl phosphate (TBP), followed by
hydroxide and oxalate precipitations and, if necessary, the removal of thorium by anion exchange chromatography. The procedure
proved to be very robust and reliable, having yttrium yields of 92.7 4.6% for 1-kg wheat samples, 90.9 4.2% for
50-g soil samples, and 90.6 3.2% for wet and dry deposition samples. 90Y was determined by Cerenkov counting and proportional
counting. By optimizing the Cerenkov counting window, a figure of merit (FOM) of 4750 could be reached using
a Quantulus 1220 system. Minimum detectable activities were in the range of 10 mBq.
samples. The radiochemical purification of 90Y consisted of liquid-liquid extraction by tributyl phosphate (TBP), followed by
hydroxide and oxalate precipitations and, if necessary, the removal of thorium by anion exchange chromatography. The procedure
proved to be very robust and reliable, having yttrium yields of 92.7 4.6% for 1-kg wheat samples, 90.9 4.2% for
50-g soil samples, and 90.6 3.2% for wet and dry deposition samples. 90Y was determined by Cerenkov counting and proportional
counting. By optimizing the Cerenkov counting window, a figure of merit (FOM) of 4750 could be reached using
a Quantulus 1220 system. Minimum detectable activities were in the range of 10 mBq.