Strontium-90 and cesium-137 in service water (from Jul. 1983 to Dec. 1983)

Service water, 100 l each, was collected at an intake of a water treatment plant and at a tap after water was left running for five minutes. Water, to which the carriers of strontium and cesium were added immediately after sampling, was vigorously stirred and filtered. The sample was passed through a cation exchange column. Strontium and cesium were eluted with hydrochloric acid from the cation exchange column. The eluate was used for radiochemical analysis. The chemical separation of strontium-90 and cesium-137 was carried out, and the chemical yields were determined. The precipitates were counted for the activity using low background beta counters normally for 60 min. The net sample counting rate was corrected to obtain the radioactivity per sample aliquot, and the concentrations of these nuclides in the original samples were calculated. The data at 20 sampling locations in Japan from July to December, 1983, on source water and tap water are reported. (Kako, I.)