Designation:C1402−17StandardGuideforHigh-ResolutionGamma-RaySpectrometryofSoilSamples1ThisstandardisissuedunderthefixeddesignationC1402;thenumberimmediatelyfollowingthedesignationindicatestheyearoforiginaladoptionor,inthecaseofrevision,theyearoflastrevision.Anumberinparenthesesindicatestheyearoflastreapproval.Asuperscriptepsilon(´)indicatesaneditorialchangesincethelastrevisionorreapproval.1.Scope1.1Thisguidecoverstheidentificationandquantitativedeterminationofgamma-rayemittingradionuclidesinsoilsamplesbymeansofgamma-rayspectrometry.Itisapplicabletonuclidesemittinggammarayswithanapproximateenergyrangeof20to2000keV.Fortypicalgamma-rayspectrometrysystemsandsampletypes,activitylevelsofabout5Bq(135pCi)aremeasuredeasilyformostnuclides,andactivitylevelsaslowas0.1Bq(2.7pCi)canbemeasuredformanynuclides.Itisnotapplicabletoradionuclidesthatemitnogammarayssuchasthepurebeta-emittingradionuclideshydrogen-3,carbon-14,strontium-90,andbecquerelquantitiesofmosttransuranics.Thisguidedoesnotaddresstheinsitumeasure-menttechniques,wheresoilisanalyzedinplacewithoutsampling.GuidanceforinsitutechniquescanbefoundinRef(1)and(2).2Thisguidealsodoesnotdiscussmethodsfordetermininglowerlimitsofdetection.SuchdiscussionscanbefoundinRefs(3),(4),(5),and(6).1.2Thisguidecanbeusedforeitherquantitativeorrelativedeterminations.Forquantitativeassay,theresultsareexpressedintermsofabsoluteactivitiesoractivityconcentrationsoftheradionuclidesfoundtobepresent.Thisguidemayalsobeusedforqualitativeidentificationofthegamma-rayemittingradio-nuclidesinsoilwithoutattemptingtoquantifytheiractivities.Itcanalsobeusedtoonlydeterminetheirlevelofactivitiesrelativetoeachotherbutnotinanabsolutesense.GeneralinformationonradioactivityanditsmeasurementmaybefoundinRefs(7),(8),(9),(10),and(11)andStandardTestMethodsE181.Informationonspecificapplicationsofgamma-rayspectrometryisalsoavailableinRefs(12)or(13).PracticeD3649maybeavaluablesourceofinformation.1.3ThevaluesstatedinSIunitsaretoberegardedasstandard.Nootherunitsofmeasureme...
