2020/06/23 by M. L. di Vacri, I. J. Arnquist, S. Scorza +3 · 11 citations
Chemistry · Engineering · Environmental Science · Health Professions · Physics and Astronomy · #Aerosol #Asian Dust #Chemistry #Contamination #Environmental chemistry #Environmental science #Geography #Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry #Leachate #Leaching (pedology) #Mass spectrometry #Meteorology #Nuclear and radioactivity studies #Particulates #Physics #Radioactive contamination and transfer #Radioactivity and Radon Measurements #Radionuclide #Soil science #Soil water #physics.ins-det
paper · pdf · doi:10.1016/j.nima.2021.165051
published in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A Accelerators Spectrometers Detectors and Associated Equipment 994, 165051 (Elsevier BV)
arxiv created 2020/06/23 · openalex created_date 2020/06/25 · openalex publication_date 2021/01/27 · arxiv updated 2021/02/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
In this work we present a method for the direct determination of contaminant fallout rates on material surfaces from exposure to dust. Naturally occurring radionuclides K-40, Th-232, U-238 and stable Pb were investigated. Until now, background contributions from dust particulate have largely been estimated from fallout models and assumed dust composition. Our method utilizes a variety of low background collection media for exposure in locations of interest, followed by surface leaching and leachate analysis using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The method was validated and applied in selected locations at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and the SNOLAB underground facility.