Measurement of radioactivity - Alpha emitting radionuclides - Generic test method using alpha spectrometry (ISO 23548:2024)

This document describes a generic test method for measuring alpha emitting radionuclides, for all types of samples (soil, sediment, construction material, foodstuff, water, airborne, environmental bio-indicator, human biological samples as urine, faeces etc.) by alpha spectrometry. This method can be used for any type of environmental study or monitoring of alpha emitting radionuclides activities.
If relevant, this test method requires appropriate sample pre-treatment followed by specific chemical separation of the test portion in order to obtain a thin source proper to alpha spectrometry measurement.
This test method can be used to determine the activity, specific activity or activity concentration of a sample containing alpha emitting radionuclides such as 210Po, 226Ra, 228Th, 229Th, 230Th, 232Th, 232U,234U, 235U, 238U, 238Pu, 239+240Pu, 241Am or 243+244Cm.
This test method can be used to measure very low levels of activity, one or two orders of magnitude less than the usual natural levels of alpha emitting radionuclides. Annexes B of UNSCEAR 2000 and UNSCEAR 2008  give, respectively, typical natural activity concentrations for air, foods, drinking waters and, soils and building materials. The detection limit of the test method depends on the amount of the sample material analysed (mass or volume) after concentration, chemical yield, thickness of measurement source and counting time.
The quantity of the sample to be collected and analysed depends on the expected activity of the sample and the detection limit to achieve.

Messung der Radioaktivität - Alpha emittierende Radionuklide - Generisches Prüfverfahren mit Alphaspektrometrie (ISO 23548:2024)

Mesurage de la radioactivité - Radionucléides émetteurs alpha - Méthode d’essai générique par spectrométrie alpha (ISO 23548:2024)

Merjenje radioaktivnosti - Radionuklidi, ki oddajajo sevanje alfa - Generična preskusna metoda z uporabo alfa spektrometrije (ISO 23548:2024)

General Information

Status
Published
Publication Date
23-Sep-2025
Current Stage
6060 - Definitive text made available (DAV) - Publishing
Start Date
24-Sep-2025
Due Date
29-Jul-2027
Completion Date
24-Sep-2025
Draft
prEN ISO 23548:2025
English language
44 pages
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Standards Content (Sample)


SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-julij-2025
Merjenje radioaktivnosti - Radionuklidi, ki oddajajo sevanje alfa - Generična
preskusna metoda z uporabo alfa spektrometrije (ISO 23548:2024)
Measurement of radioactivity - Alpha emitting radionuclides - Generic test method using
alpha spectrometry (ISO 23548:2024)
Mesurage de la radioactivité - Radionucléides émetteurs alpha - Méthode d’essai
générique par spectrométrie alpha (ISO 23548:2024)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: prEN ISO 23548
ICS:
17.240 Merjenje sevanja Radiation measurements
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

International
Standard
ISO 23548
First edition
Measurement of radioactivity —
2024-09
Alpha emitting radionuclides —
Generic test method using alpha
spectrometry
Mesurage de la radioactivité — Radionucléides émetteurs alpha
— Méthode d’essai générique par spectrométrie alpha
Reference number
ISO 23548:2024(en) © ISO 2024
ISO 23548:2024(en)
© ISO 2024
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on
the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below
or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
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Phone: +41 22 749 01 11
Email: copyright@iso.org
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Published in Switzerland
ii
ISO 23548:2024(en)
Contents Page
Foreword .v
Introduction .vi
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 2
4 Symbols and units. 3
5 Principle . 4
6 Chemical reagents and equipment . 5
6.1 General .5
6.2 Chemical reagents .5
6.2.1 Water quality .5
6.2.2 Tracer solution.5
6.3 Equipment .6
7 Sampling and samples . . 9
8 Procedure . 9
8.1 General .9
8.2 Calcination .10
8.3 Sample dissolution processes.10
8.4 Specific radiochemical separation procedures .11
8.5 Methods of deposition . 12
8.5.1 Direct deposition . 12
8.5.2 Spontaneous deposition of polonium. 12
8.5.3 Microprecipitation . 13
8.5.4 Electrodeposition . 13
8.6 Measurement .14
8.6.1 Measurement geometry .14
8.6.2 Spectrum exploitation .14
8.6.3 Energy calibration. 15
8.6.4 Efficiency calibration .16
8.6.5 Global background .17
8.6.6 Chemical yield and total efficiency .17
8.6.7 Quality control sources .18
8.7 Recommended nuclear decay data .18
9 Expression of results . 19
9.1 Calculation of activity .19
9.1.1 General .19
9.1.2 Alpha activity .19
9.1.3 Uncertainty .19
9.1.4 Decision threshold . 20
9.1.5 Detection limit . 20
9.2 Calculation of sample activity .21
9.2.1 General .21
9.2.2 Calculation of derived alpha activity.21
9.2.3 Relative uncertainty . .21
9.2.4 Decision threshold .21
9.2.5 Detection limit . 22
9.2.6 Coverage interval limits . . 22
10 Test report .23
Annex A (informative) Generic alpha test method processes .24
Annex B (informative) Examples of melting flux .25

iii
ISO 23548:2024(en)
Annex C (informative) Preparation of the source by coprecipitation .26
Annex D (informative) Preparation of the source by electrodeposition .30
Annex E (informative) Alpha peak integration with minimized uncertainty.33
Bibliography .35

iv
ISO 23548:2024(en)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through
ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee
has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations,
governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely
with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are described
in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the different types
of ISO document should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the editorial rules of the
ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
ISO draws attention to the possibility that the implementation of this document may involve the use of (a)
patent(s). ISO takes no position concerning the evidence, validity or applicability of any claimed patent
rights in respect thereof. As of the date of publication of this document, ISO had not received notice of (a)
patent(s) which may be required to implement this document. However, implementers are cautioned that
this may not represent the latest information, which may be obtained from the patent database available at
www.iso.org/patents. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such pate
...

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