The determination of strontium-90 and strontium-89 in water without separation of strontium from calcium

Abstract

A method has been developed for measuring strontium-90 and strontium-89 activities in water without separating the strontium from calcium. After evaporation of the sample to a convenient volume, the strontium plus calcium is purified radiochemically and an aqueous solution of their chlorides counted in a liquid scintillation spectrometer, which records the Čerenkov radiation produced. After a suitable period so as to allow the ingrowth of yttrium-90, the source is re-counted. From the two counts the activities of both strontium-90 and strontium-89 are calculated.

Activities as low as 0·1 pCi l^–1 in natural waters as well as the higher levels in effluents from nuclear installations can be measured by this method.