Isotope tracer applications in industry and civil engineering

One of the major attributes of radioactive material and their emanations which make them extremely useful is their amenability for detection at extraordinarily low levels. Depending on the half life of a radioisotope and the characteristics of its emanation, its presence can be detected in parts per trillion or even less in the matrix material. Obviously this would make radioisotopes eminent candidates for use in the study of the dynamic characteristics of several systems, whether it is sub-soil water flow, wear and tear in plant machinery, metabolism in human and plant systems etc. This led to an altogether new discipline known as isotope tracer technology. The salient features of the tracer techniques are brought out in a very lucid way in the booklet. 9 refs., 16 figs., 4 tabs., 1 ill