A faster sample preparation method for determination of polonium-210 in fish

In order to facilitate Health Canada's study on background radiation levels in country foods, an in-house radio-analytical method has been developed for determination of polonium-210 (²¹⁰Po) in fish samples. The method was validated by measurement of ²¹⁰Po in a certified reference material. It was also evaluated by comparing ²¹⁰Po concentrations in a number of fish samples by another method. The in-house method offers faster sample dissolution using an automated digestion system compared to currently used wet-ashing on a hot plate. It also utilizes pre-packed Sr-resin® cartridges for rapid and reproducible separation of ²¹⁰Po versus time-consuming manually packed Sr-resin® columns. (author)