Particle track analysis of natural decay series nuclides in sediments and pore waters

Solid-state nuclear track detectors sensitive to alpha or fission product particles have been used, with some success, to measure low activities of natural decay series nuclides in environmental samples. Applications assessed thus far include excess 230Th and 210Pb dating of sediments, determination of uranium in sediment matrices and pore waters and dissolved 222Rn assay of aqueous solutions. Whenever possible, data obtained by the particle track methods have been compared with the results of conventional radiochemical analyses on duplicate samples. The observed agreement, although illustrating some limitations of particle track techniques, suggests that they have considerable potential in environmental radiochemistry. Not only are the techniques less skilled, less expensive and more portable than coventional methodology, but also they are generally non-destructive, require much less sample, register very low background levels and are, in some cases, more sensitive. (author)