Radionuclide monitoring in environmental water body using an in situ gamma probe

An HPGe gamma probe designed to monitor radioactive nuclides in environmental water in situ is described. The probe is equipped with a 15% HPGe detector and an associated spectrum analyzer. Laboratory tests were performed to evaluate its operating depth, detecting sensitivity, detecting volume and the detection limits of radionuclides. A field operation was conducted to measure in situ radionuclide concentrations in a nuclear reactor pool, and the feasibility as well as the disadvantages of this rapid survey are discussed. (author)