Handbook of Radioactivity Analysis

The updated and much expanded Third Edition of the "Handbook of Radioactivity Analysis" is an authoritative reference providing the principles, practical techniques, and procedures for the accurate measurement of radioactivity from the very low levels encountered in the environment to higher levels measured in radioisotope research, clinical laboratories, biological sciences, radionuclide standardization, nuclear medicine, nuclear power, fuel cycle facilities and in the implementation of nuclear forensic analysis and nuclear safeguards. The Third Edition contains seven new chapters providing a reference text much broader in scope than the previous Second Edition, and all of the other chapters have been updated and expanded many with new authors. The book describes the basic principles of radiation detection and measurement, the preparation of samples from a wide variety of matrices, assists the investigator or technician in the selection and use of appropriate radiation detectors, and presents state-of-the-art methods of analysis. Fundamentals of radiation properties, radionuclide decay, the calculations involved, and methods of detection provide the basis for a thorough understanding of the analytical procedures. The Handbook of Radioactivity Analysis, Third Edition, is suitable as a teaching text for university and professional training courses.

NEW TO THIS EDITION:

• Expanded chapter on nuclear and cosmic radiation physics covers all the essentials on radiation physics needed to help the reader select the proper detector for the analysis of nuclear radiation.

• New material to cover adequately alpha and gamma spectrometry, sample preparation and detector selection, including new chapters on Nuclear Forensic Analysis and Analytical Techniques in Nuclear Safeguards.

• New material on low-level environmental analysis of radioactivity including new chapters on the mass spectrometry of radionuclides, radioactive aerosol measurements as well as new chapters on environmental radioactivity monitoring and marine radioactivity analysis.

• Updated material on the liquid and solid scintillation analysis and sample preparation techniques for liquid scintillation analysis and Cherenkov counting.