Methodology for determination of radiostrontium in milk: a review

This paper presents a review on all available analytical methods for 90Sr and 89Sr determination in milk. Special attention was focused on the parameter of the performing time in order to assess the rapid measurement of milk contamination, especially in the case of emergency situations such as a nuclear plant accident. Preliminarily, a short description of the milk matrix and radiostrontium transfer from soil to milk and its derivatives is given. Then analytical procedures are examined step by step. 90Sr and 89Sr can be separately determined in less than 2 days by a rapid sample pretreatment and the use of a liquid scintillation detector. (author)