(226)Ra measurement by LSC as a tool to assess the efficiency of a water treatment technology for removing radionuclides from groundwater

Siiri Suursoo; Madis Kiisk; Amer Al-Malahmeh; Alar Jantsikene; Kaisa Putk; Liie Lumiste

doi:10.1016/j.apradiso.2014.01.016

(226)Ra measurement by LSC as a tool to assess the efficiency of a water treatment technology for removing radionuclides from groundwater

Appl Radiat Isot. 2014 Nov:93:57-63. doi: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2014.01.016. Epub 2014 Feb 11.

Authors

Siiri Suursoo¹, Madis Kiisk², Amer Al-Malahmeh², Alar Jantsikene², Kaisa Putk², Liie Lumiste³

Affiliations

¹ University of Tartu, Institute of Physics, Riia 142, 51014 Tartu, Estonia. Electronic address: siiri.suursoo@ut.ee.
² University of Tartu, Institute of Physics, Riia 142, 51014 Tartu, Estonia.
³ Tallinn University of Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, Ehitajate tee 5, 19086 Tallinn, Estonia.

PMID: 24593925
DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2014.01.016

Abstract

A simple (226)Ra analysis procedure by LSC with an extractive scintillator was tested for evaluating the long-term radionuclides removal efficiency of a water treatment facility at Viimsi, Estonia. During the 14 months of operation, total radium removal efficiency of the treatment process has stayed over 90%, but the removal efficiencies of the different purification steps have varied notably. This demonstrates the need for routine monitoring of radium content in the water treatment plant.

Keywords: Gamma spectrometry; Groundwater; Liquid scintillation; Radium isotopes; Water treatment.

Publication types

Evaluation Study
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Estonia
Groundwater / analysis*
Humans
Radiation Monitoring / methods
Radioisotopes / analysis
Radioisotopes / isolation & purification
Radium / analysis*
Scintillation Counting / methods*
Spectrometry, Gamma
Water Pollutants, Radioactive / analysis*
Water Purification / methods*
Water Supply / analysis

Substances

Radioisotopes
Water Pollutants, Radioactive
Radium