Determination of long-lived radionuclides in environment

This review summarized the recent papers published after 1985, because Higuchi had written 'Radiometry in Environment' for Advanced Review in this journal, 1985. Separation, purification and measurement method of long-lived radionuclide without light elements are reported. To determine radionuclide in the environment, a pretreatment of sample such as enrichment and separation is need. An extraction chromatography and adsorbents, for example, active carbon and AMP, were developed for the above objects. For analysis of low level radionuclide, background was decreased. ICP-MS, RIMS (Resonance Ionization Mass Spectroscopy) and AMS were used to determine mass of long-lived ones. ICP-MS can measure 93Zr, 99Tc, 107Pd, 129I and 135Cs in the radioactive waste without a chemical analysis. RIMS determined 41Ca, 236-244Pu, 90Sr and 237Np. AMS showed good results for pure beta emitter nuclides ad trace long-lived radionuclide, for example, 14C, 10Be, 26Al, 36Cl, 129I and 236U. Measurement method and results of 14C, 10Be, 26Al, 36Cl, 41Ca, 63Ni, 79Se, 85Kr, 99Tc, 129I, 237Np and Pu were explained. (S.Y.)