Low level alpha activity measurements with pulse shape discrimination

Liquid scintillation counting of α rays with pulse shape discrimination was applied to the analysis of 226Ra and 239+240Pu in environmental samples and of α-emitters in/on a filter paper. The instrument used in this study was either a specially designed detector or a commercial liquid scintillation counter with an automatic sample changer, both of which were connected to the pulse shape discrimination circuit. The background counting rate in α energy region of 5-7 MeV was 0.01 or 0.04 cpm/MeV, respectively. The figure of merit indicating the resolving power for α- and β-particles in time spectrum was found to be 5.7 for the commercial liquid scintillation counter. (author)