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A comparison of determination methods for uranium radioactivity in environmental soil samples using a gamma spectrometer

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Abstract

Comparisons of statistical analysis results between five methods using gamma spectrometry and a control group for measuring the radioactivity of uranium were performed to suggest the optimal method. In the statistical tests including linear regression, and Pearson’s correlation all gamma spectrometry methods correlated with the control group method though they had each disadvantage. The Student’s t-test results for a novel method 5 including a 230Th contribution, were 0.986 (235U) and 1.821 (238U), respectively. It had the advantage of being more accurate when evaluating the activity of 235U and 238U simultaneously. The novel method 5 can thus be recommended over others.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Energy Engineering, Kyungpook National University, Daehak-ro 80, Buk-gu, Daegu, 41566, Republic of Korea

    Seongjin Maeng & Sang Hoon Lee

  2. Radiation Science Research Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daehak-ro 80, Buk-gu, Daegu, 41566, Republic of Korea

    HaeYoung Lee & Sang Hoon Lee

  3. Korea Foundation of Nuclear Safety, Daewangpangyo-ro 644beon-gil 49, Bundang-gu, 13493 Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea

    Seong Jin Park

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  1. Seongjin Maeng
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Correspondence to Sang Hoon Lee.

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Maeng, S., Lee, H., Park, S. et al. A comparison of determination methods for uranium radioactivity in environmental soil samples using a gamma spectrometer. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 331, 2929–2938 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-022-08379-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-022-08379-x

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