METHOD OF DETERMINING SPECIFIC ACTIVITY OF Ra-226 IN SOIL Russian patent published in 2010 - IPC G01T1/167 

FIELD: chemistry.

SUBSTANCE: invention can be used in radiation monitoring soil where mineral fertiliser has been applied to the soil for a long time, resulting in significant accumulation of Ra-226 in the soil. The method simplifies soil analysis in order to detect Ra-226. A soil sample is held in a sealed container for not less than 20 days. The number of pulses n₁ from photons with energy of 0.6093 MeV of the Bi-214 gamma-ray line picked up by the detector from the soil sample in a time t₁ in the used measurement geometry is measured. The same detector and the same measurement geometry are used to determine the number of pulses n₂ from photons with energy of 1.46 MeV of the K-40 gamma-ray line from a potassium chloride salt sample, picked up in a time t₂. Specific activity of Ra-226 in the sample is calculated using a formula.

EFFECT: less expenses on monitoring content of Ra-226 in soil.