ASTM_D_7939_-_15.pdf

Designation:D793915Standard Test Method forRapid Radiochemical Determination of Americium-241 inWater1This standard is issued under the fixed designation D7939;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope1.1 This test method is specifically for Americium-241(241Am)in drinking water and other aqueous samples.However,if any isotopes of curium are present in the sample,they will be carried with americium during the analyticalseparation process and will be observed in the final alphaspectrum.The presence of243Am in the water sample will biasthe results obtained by this test method.1.2 This test method is applicable to samples in whichradioactive contamination is from either known or unknownorigins.If any filtration of the sample is performed beforestarting the analysis,those solids should be analyzed sepa-rately.The results from the analysis of these solids should bereported separately(as a suspended activity concentration forthe water volume filtered)but identified with the filtrate results.1.3 This test method is applicable to the determination ofsoluble241Am.This test method is not applicable to thedetermination of241Am in highly insoluble particulate matterpossibly present in water samples contaminated as a result of aradiological dispersal device(RDD)event.1.4 This test method uses rapid radiochemical separationtechniques for determining americium in water samples fol-lowing a radiological or nuclear incident.Although,with thistest method,concentrations of241Am on the same order ofmagnitude as methods used for the Safe Drinking Water Act(SDWA)can be detected,this test method is not a substitute forSDWA-approved methods for241Am.1.5 UnitsThe values stated in SI units are to be regardedas the standard.No other units of measurement are included inthis standard.1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns,if any,associated with its use.It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2C1163 Practice for Mounting Actinides for Alpha Spectrom-etry Using Neodymium FluorideC1284 Practice for Electrodeposition of the Actinides forAlpha SpectrometryD1129 Terminology Relating to WaterD1193 Specification for Reagent WaterD3370 Practices for Sampling Water from Closed ConduitsD4448 Guide for Sampling Ground-Water Monitoring WellsD5847 Practice for Writing Quality Control Specificationsfor Standard Test Methods for Water AnalysisD6001 Guide for Direct-Push Groundwater Sampling forEnvironmental Site CharacterizationD7282 Practice for Set-up,Calibration,and Quality Controlof Instruments Used for Radioactivity Measurements3.Terminology3.1 DefinitionsFor definitions of terms used in this testmethod,refer to Terminology D1129.3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:3.2.1 analytical action level,AAL,ndenotes the value of aquantity that will cause the decision maker to choose analternative action.3.2.2 analytical protocol specifications,APS,noutput of adirected planning process that contains the projects analyticaldata needs and requirements in an organized,concise form.3.2.3 discrete radioactive particles,DRPs or hot particles,nparticulate matter in a sample of any matrix in which a highconcentration of radioactive material is contained in a tinyparticle(micrometre range).3.2.4 measurement quality objective,MQO,nanalyticaldata requirements of the data quality objectives;project-orprogram-specific.3.2.4.1 DiscussionThey can be quantitative or qualitative.MQOs serve as measurement performance criteria or objec-tives of the analytical process.1This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D19 on Waterand is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D19.04 on Methods of Radiochemi-cal Analysis.Current edition approved Jan.1,2015.Published January 2015.DOI:10.1520/D7939-15.2For referenced ASTM standards,visit the ASTM website,www.astm.org,orcontact ASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org.For Annual Book of ASTMStandards volume information,refer to the standards Document Summary page onthe ASTM website.Copyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United States1 3.2.5 radiologicaldispersaldevice,RDD,nunconventional weapon constructed to distribute radioac-tive material(s)into the environment either by incorporatingthem into a conventional bomb or using sprays,canisters,ormanual dispersal,that is,a“dirty bomb.”3.2.6 required method uncertainty,uMR,ntarget value forthe individual measurement uncertainties and an estimate ofuncertainty(of measurement)before the sample is actuallymeasured.3.2.6.1 DiscussionThe requi