ASTM D1890-05

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation: D1890 − 05
StandardTest Method for
1
Beta Particle Radioactivity of Water
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D1890; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision.Anumber in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.
1. Scope D1193Specification for Reagent Water
D2777Practice for Determination of Precision and Bias of
1.1 This test method covers the measurement of beta par-
Applicable Test Methods of Committee D19 on Water
ticle activity of water. It is applicable to beta emitters having
D3370Practices for Sampling Water from Closed Conduits
maximumenergiesabove0.1MeVandatactivitylevelsabove
D3648Practices for the Measurement of Radioactivity
0.02Bq/mL(540pCi/L)ofradioactivehomogeneouswaterfor
most counting systems. This test method is not applicable to
3. Terminology
samples containing radionuclides that are volatile under con-
ditions of the analysis.
3.1 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
3.1.1 Becquerel—a unit of radioactivity equivalent to 1
1.2 This test method can be used for either absolute or
nuclear transformation per second.
relative determinations. In tracer work, the results may be
expressedbycomparisonwithastandardwhichisdefinedtobe 3.1.2 beta energy, maximum—the maximum energy of the
beta-particle energy spectrum produced during beta decay of a
100%. For radioassay, data may be expressed in terms of a
known radionuclide standard if the radionuclides of concern given radioactive species.
are known and no fractionation occurred during processing, or
NOTE 1—Since a given beta-particle emitter may decay to several
may be expressed arbitrarily in terms of some other standard
different quantum states of the product nucleus, more than one maximum
137
such as Cs. General information on radioactivity and energy may be listed for a given radioactive species.
2
measurement of radiation may be found in the literature and
3.1.3 counter background—in the measurement of
Practice D3648.
radioactivity, the counting rate resulting from factors other
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the than the radioactivity of the sample and reagents used.
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
NOTE 2—Counter background varies with the location, shielding of the
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
detector, and the electronics; it includes cosmic rays, contaminating
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
radioactivity and electrical noise.
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
3.1.4 counter beta-particle effıciency—in the measurement
of radioactivity, that fraction of beta particles emitted by a
2. Referenced Documents
source which is detected by the counter.
3
2.1 ASTM Standards:
3.1.5 counter effıciency—in the measurement of
D1129Terminology Relating to Water
radioactivity, that fraction of the disintegrations occurring in a
source which is detected by the counter.
1
This test method is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee D19 on Water
andisthedirectresponsibilityofSubcommitteeD19.04onMethodsofRadiochemi-
3.1.6 radioactive homogeneous water—water in which the
cal Analysis.
radioactive material is uniformly dispersed throughout the
Current edition approved Jan. 1, 2005. Published January 2005. Originally
volume of water sample and remains so until the measurement
approved in 1961. Last previous edition approved in 1996 as D1890–96. DOI:
10.1520/D1890-05. is completed or until the sample is evaporated or precipitating
2
Friedlander, G., et al., Nuclear and Radiochemistry , 3rd Ed., John Wiley and
reagents are added to the sample.
Sons, Inc., New York, NY, 1981.
Price,W.J.,NuclearRadiationDetection,2ndEd.,McGraw-HillBookCo.,Inc., 3.1.7 reagent background—in the measurement of radioac-
New York, NY, 1964.
tivity of water samples, the counting rate observed when a
Lapp, R. E., and Andrews, H. L., Nuclear Radiation Physics, 4th Ed.,
sample is replaced by mock sample salts or by reagent
Prentice-Hall Inc., New York, NY, 1972.
chemicals used for chemical separations that contain no
Overman,R.T.,andClark,H.M.,RadioisotopeTechniques,McGraw-HillBook
Co., Inc., New York, NY, 1960.
analyte.
3
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
NOTE 3—Reagent background varies with the reagent chemicals and
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 analytical methods used and may vary with reagents from different
the ASTM website. ma
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