ISO 18589-3:2023
Measurement of radioactivity in the environment — Soil — Part 3: Test method of gamma-emitting radionuclides using gamma-ray spectrometry
This document specifies the identification and the measurement of the activity in soils of a large number of gamma-emitting radionuclides using gamma spectrometry. This non-destructive method, applicable to large-volume samples (up to about 3 l), covers the determination in a single measurement of all the γ-emitters present for which the photon energy is between 5 keV and 3 MeV.
Generic test method and fundamentals using gamma-ray spectrometry are described in ISO 20042.
This document can be applied by test laboratories performing routine radioactivity measurements as a majority of gamma-emitting radionuclides is characterized by gamma-ray emission between 40 keV and 2 MeV.
The method can be implemented using a germanium or other type of detector with a resolution better than 5 keV.
This document addresses methods and practices for determining gamma-emitting radionuclides activity present in soil, including rock from bedrock and ore, construction materials and products, pottery, etc. This includes such soils and material containing naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) or those from technological processes involving Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (TENORM) (e.g. the mining and processing of mineral sands or phosphate fertilizer production and use) as well as of sludge and sediment. This determination of gamma-emitting radionuclides activity is typically performed for the purpose of radiation protection. It is suitable for the surveillance of the environment and the inspection of a site and allows, in case of accidents, a quick evaluation of gamma activity of soil samples. This might concern soils from gardens, farmland, urban or industrial sites that can contain building materials rubble, as well as soil not affected by human activities.
When the radioactivity characterization of the unsieved material above 200 μm or 250 μm, made of petrographic nature or of anthropogenic origin such as building materials rubble, is required, this material can be crushed in order to obtain a homogeneous sample for testing as described in ISO 18589‑2.
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Foreword
Introduction
1 Scope
2 Normative references
3 Terms, definitions and symbols
3.1 Terms and definitions
3.2 Symbols
4 Principle
5 Reference sources
5.1 Source(s) for energy calibration
5.2 Reference source(s) for efficiency calibration
5.2.1 General
5.2.2 Reference sources for laboratory gamma spectrometry systems
5.2.3 Reference sources used with numerical methods
6 Gamma spectrometry equipment
6.1 General description
6.2 Detector types
6.3 High voltage power supply
6.4 Preamplifier
6.5 Cryostat or electric cooler
6.6 Shielding
6.7 Analogue or digital acquisition electronics
6.7.1 General
6.7.2 Analogue electronic
6.7.3 Digital electronic DSP
6.8 Computer, including peripherical devices and software
7 Nuclear decay data
8 Sample container
9 Procedure
9.1 Packaging of samples for measuring purposes
9.2 Laboratory background level
9.3 Calibration
9.3.1 Energy calibration
9.3.2 Efficiency calibration
9.4 Correction required for the measurements of natural radionuclides
9.5 Quality control
10 Expression of results
10.1 Calculation of the activity per unit of mass
10.1.1 General
10.1.2 Dead time and pile up corrections (see ISO 20042)
10.1.3 Decay corrections
10.1.4 Self-absorption correction
10.1.5 True coincidence summing
10.2 Standard uncertainty
10.3 Decision threshold
10.4 Detection limit
10.5 Limits of the coverage intervals
10.5.1 Limits of the probabilistically symmetric coverage interval
10.5.2 The shortest coverage interval
10.6 Corrections for contributions from other radionuclides and background
10.6.1 General
10.6.2 Contribution from other radionuclides
10.6.3 Contribution from background
11 Test report
Annex A (informative) Analysis of natural radionuclides in soil samples using gamma spectrometry
Annex B (informative) Self-attenuation correction[21][22]
Annex C (informative) True coincidence summing
Annex D (informative) Calculation of the activity per unit mass from a gamma spectrum using a linear background subtraction
Bibliography
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Foreword
Introduction
1 Scope
2 Normative references
3 Terms, definitions and symbols
3.1 Terms and definitions
3.2 Symbols
4 Principle
5 Reference sources
5.1 Source(s) for energy calibration
5.2 Reference source(s) for efficiency calibration
5.2.1 General
5.2.2 Reference sources for laboratory gamma spectrometry systems
5.2.3 Reference sources used with numerical methods
6 Gamma spectrometry equipment
6.1 General description
6.2 Detector types
6.3 High voltage power supply
6.4 Preamplifier
6.5 Cryostat or electric cooler
6.6 Shielding
6.7 Analogue or digital acquisition electronics
6.7.1 General
6.7.2 Analogue electronic
6.7.3 Digital electronic DSP
6.8 Computer, including peripherical devices and software
7 Nuclear decay data
8 Sample container
9 Procedure
9.1 Packaging of samples for measuring purposes
9.2 Laboratory background level
9.3 Calibration
9.3.1 Energy calibration
9.3.2 Efficiency calibration
9.4 Correction required for the measurements of natural radionuclides
9.5 Quality control
10 Expression of results
10.1 Calculation of the activity per unit of mass
10.1.1 General
10.1.2 Dead time and pile up corrections (see ISO 20042)
10.1.3 Decay corrections
10.1.4 Self-absorption correction
10.1.5 True coincidence summing
10.2 Standard uncertainty
10.3 Decision threshold
10.4 Detection limit
10.5 Limits of the coverage intervals
10.5.1 Limits of the probabilistically symmetric coverage interval
10.5.2 The shortest coverage interval
10.6 Corrections for contributions from other radionuclides and background
10.6.1 General
10.6.2 Contribution from other radionuclides
10.6.3 Contribution from background
11 Test report
Annex A (informative) Analysis of natural radionuclides in soil samples using gamma spectrometry
Annex B (informative) Self-attenuation correction[21][22]
Annex C (informative) True coincidence summing
Annex D (informative) Calculation of the activity per unit mass from a gamma spectrum using a linear background subtraction
Bibliography