Abstract: Characterizing environmental samples has been exhaustively addressed in the literature for most analytes of environmental concern. One of the weak areas of environmental analytical chemistry is that of radionuclides and samples contaminated with radionuclides. The analysis of samples containing high levels of radionuclides can be far more complex than that of non-radioactive samples. This chapter addresses the analysis of samples with a wide range of radioactivity. The other areas of characterization examined in this chapter are the hazardous components of mixed waste, and special analytes often associated with radioactive materials.Characterizing mixed waste is often similar to characterizing waste components in non-radioactive materials. The largest differences are in associated safety precautions to minimize exposure to dangerous levels of radioactivity. One must attempt to keep radiological dose as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA). This chapter outlines recommended procedures to safely and accurately characterize regulated components of radioactive samples.
Revised: February 7, 2007 |
Published: July 1, 2001
Citation
Goheen S.C. 2001.Analytical Technology. In Hazardous and Radioactive Waste Treatment Technologies Handbook, edited by Chang H. Oh. 2.2-1 to 2.2-11. New York, New York:CRC Press. PNWD-SA-5185.