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

Included in

Chemistry Commons

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