ASTM D5928-23

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Designation: D5928 − 18a D5928 − 23
Standard Practice for
Screening of Waste for Radioactivity
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D5928; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope
1.1 This practice covers the screening for α–, β–, and γ radiation above ambient background levels or user-defined criteria, or both,
in liquid, sludge, or solid waste materials.
1.2 This practice is intended to be a gross screening method for determining the presence or absence of radioactive materials in
liquid, sludge, or solid waste materials. It is not intended to replace more sophisticated quantitative analytical techniques, but to
provide a method for rapidly screening samples for radioactivity above ambient background levels or user-defined criteria, or both,
for facilities prohibited from handling radioactive waste.
1.3 This practice may or may not be suitable for applications such as site assessments and remediation activities.activities,
depending on the data quality objectives or intended use.
1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard.
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of
regulatory limitations prior to use.
1.6 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization
established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued
by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
2. Referenced Documents
2.1 ASTM Standards:
C859 Terminology Relating to Nuclear Materials
3. Terminology
3.1 For terminology related to radioactive materials, see Terminology C859.
4. Summary of Practice
4.1 A sample is held within 6 mm a user-specified distance of the detector window of a radiation survey meter, and the visible
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D34 on Waste Management and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D34.01.05 on Screening Methods.
Current edition approved Sept. 1, 2018Nov. 1, 2023. Published September 2018November 2023. Originally approved in 1996. Last previous edition approved in 2018 as
D5928 – 18.D5928 – 18a. DOI: 10.1520/D5928-18A.10.1520/D5928-23.
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM Standards
volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on the ASTM website.
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D5928 − 23
or audible reaction of the meter, or both, is noted. Guidance on a suitable distance is generally available in the manufacturer’s
instrument manual. The user defines an application/project-specific “negative” and “positive” result criteria. A “negative” test
result indicates radiation levels are below the user-established criteria; a “positive” test result indicates the radiation levels are
above the user-established criteria.
5. Significance and Use
5.1 Most facilities disposing or utilizingusing waste materials are prohibited from handling wastes that contain radioactive
materials. This practice provides the user a rapid method for screening waste material samples in the field or laboratory for the
presence or absence of radioactivity at user-established criteria. levels that consider background radiation and the intended use of
the screening method. It is important to these facilities to be able to verify generator-supplied information that radioactive or mixed
wastes have not been included in shipments of waste materials.in regard to radiation and to meet worker health and safety needs.
6. Interferences
6.1 Needle deflections or audible clicks of the survey meter, or both, occur due to naturally occurring omni-
directionalomnidirectional background radiation. This level of ambient background radiation should be periodically assessed. See
Section 10.
6.2 Possible sources of interference include pacemakers, X-ray-generating X-ray generating equipment, radium-based lumines-
cent dials, polonium-based static eliminators, and smoke detectors containing a radioactive isotope-sensing mechanism. Such
interferences can usually be traced to their source using the portable instrument specified in this practice.
6.3 A large amount of potassium in the waste sample may produce a positive result due to the natural presence of the radioactive
isotope, potassium-40.
6.4 The sensitivity of this practice to beta and gamma radiation may be dependent on sample volume. A small sample volume with
readings near background levels may give a false negative result.
6.5 Some radioactive isotopes, such as tritium/hydrogen-3 and carbon-14, may not emit radiation of sufficient energy to be
detected. If suspected to be present in the waste, another procedure should be used that is appropriate to their determination.
6.6 Liquid samples, as well as moisture in solid samples, are good attenuators of radiation and will hinder detection of many
radionuclides unless they emit high-energy gamma radiation. The possible inability to detect alpha particles and low-level beta
emissions that may be attenuated, in many cases, should not be a serious shortcoming in this practice because these emissions are
often accompanied by higher-energy higher energy gamma emissions.
6.6.1 Moisture-laden, americium-241-bearing waste would be a case where there is a high probability of non-detection due to
attenuation.
6.7 Survey meter contamination can cause artificially low or high results when reading standard sources or ambient background.
If this occurs, the survey meter performance shall be considered unreliable and should be appropriately decontaminated by
qualified personnel, or and recalibrated by qualified personnel (for example, the return to the manufacturer or accredited service
vendor for cleaning and calibration), or disposed of in accordance with applicable regulations.
6.8 The radiation monitormeter should be operated in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.instructions, and all
reasonable efforts made to prevent contamination of the meter by preventing direct contact with waste materials.
D5928 − 23
7. Apparatus
7.1 Radiation Survey Meter, with a halogen-quenched uncompensated Geiger-Mueller tube with thin mica end window. It is
advisable to choose an instrument model that has an internal counter (cpm) or is capable of operating in a scaler mode. The meter
should be cleaned, maintained, and calibrated in accordance with instrument manufacturer specifications and recommendations.
8. Reagents and Materials
8.1 The check sources used in the development of this practice may be U.S. United States federally exempt and may not require
licensing. Sources other than the following (that is, cesium-137) are appropriate for this practice. The sources, types of activity,
levels of activity, and half-lives used in the development of this practice are as follows:
Source Type Activity Half-Life (t ⁄2)
polonium-210 alpha 3.7 kBq 138.4 days
strontium-90 beta 3.7 kBq 28.6 years
cobalt-60 gamma 37 kBq 5.3 years
8.2 Check sources should be replaced at least every three half-lives.
9.
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