Sampling
ALS Environmental and ALS Food are able to provide a competent and professional sampling at water management companies, landfills, instrustrial products manufactures, food treatment manufactures, as well as at environmental objects.
Our teams received the valuable ISO accreditation or State authorisation in their field of expertise, and are able to propose their services countrywide.
We closely cooperate with consultants and experienced sampling teams to support us in our activities.
Our teams are allowed to collect samples with low concentrations or low activities. In case your samples present high radioactivity levels, we cooperate with teams authorised and specially equipped for that kind of samples.
Sample containers and preservation guide
In order to carry out the determination of the radionuclides, our laboratory recommends to follow the guide mentioned below for the size of the sample and its preservation.
| Parametre | Matrix | Sample size | Preservation | Container |
| Gross alpha nad beta activities | Water | 1 litre | HNO3 to pH<2 | PET and PE |
| Gross alpha nad beta activities | Solid | 200 mg (<100µm) | none | PE bag, glass jar |
| Rn-222 | Water | 300 mL | Zero headspace | Special PET container |
| RCHA - 226Ra, 210Pb, 210Po, U | Water | 3x 1L and 0.5L | HNO3 to pH<2 | PET and PE |
| GSA | Water | 1L to 5L acc. to required limits | HNO3 to pH<2 (100 mg Na2S2O3 /L if 131I required) | PET and PE |
| GSA | Solid | 0,5L to 1L acc. to required limits | none | PE bag, glass jar |
| Tritium | Water | 0,20-0,50 ltire | none | PET and PE |
| 14C | Water | Acc. To required limits and CO3 content: 0,25 L to 5 L | Zero headspace; alcalic solution | Special PET tightly closed |
| 90Sr | Water | 1 litre to 3 litres | none | PET and PE |
| 90Sr | Solid | 10-100 grams | Drying at 40 ºC recommended | PE bag, glass jar |
| ICP/SFMS | Water | 20 ml to 250 ml | None or ph<2 | PET and PE |
Water: all types of water
Solid: soil, sediment, rock, sludge, food, feed
- Food samples should be delivered frozen or dried.
- Some matrices can be incinerated to reduce weight or sample size prior to shipping. Please contact us to precise the specifications.
- The reference date and time should be provided for 222Rn, in order to recalculate the activity concentration at the date of sampling.
- For air analysis, please contact us to precise the project.
This guide is very universal. For very specific requests, please contact us.
Radiological Analyses
Drinking water
Generally ALS follows the analytical solution scheme below to determine the TID and to assess in case of elevated TID, which radionuclide(s) cause(s) the high value for TID.
| Analytes | Sample type / matrix |
| Gross alpha and beta activities (GAA, GBA), Tritium (T, 3b H3), TID (= Total Indicative Dose; its estimation), radon Rn-222 (only in some countries) | Drinking water – basic parameters (initial screening). |
|
RCHA – 226Ra, 210Pb, 210Po, U, 90Sr, 40K, 14C GSA - 226Ra, 228Ra and 228Th, other natural (234Th, 230Th, 210Pb, 235U, 231Pa, 227Ac, 223Ra, 224Ra, 40K) and artificial (60Co, 137Cs, 134Cs, 131I, 241Am) radionuclides ICP/SFMS - 238U, 235U, 234U, 232Th, 230Th, 239Pu, 240Pu) |
Drinking water – special radiological analysis (radiochemical analyses RCHA, gamma-spectrometric analyses GSA, ICP/SFMS analyses in co-operation with Luleå) and evaluation of TID from determined activity concentrations. |
Mostly basic analysis is sufficient to explain increased radioactivity.
Complementary analyses are relatively rare and are performed after agreement with the client.
When TID is lower than 0,1 mSv/year, further analysis is not necessary and water can be used for public supply.
When TID is higher than 0,1 mSv/year (or tritium is higher than 100 Bq/l), tested water cannot be used for public supply and purification processes should be applied to decrease content of radionuclides at acceptable levels.
Other types of water
| Analytes | Sample type / matrix |
| Gross alpha and beta activities (GAA, GBA) | Surface and waste water, sea water – basic parameters required by some legislation |
|
RCHA – 226Ra, 222Rn, 210Pb, 210Po, U, 90Sr, 40K, 14C, 3T GSA - 226Ra, 228Ra and 228Th, other natural (234Th, 230Th, 210Pb, 235U, 231Pa, 227Ac, 227Th, 223Ra, 224Ra, 40K) and artificial (60Co, 137Cs, 134Cs, 131I, 241Am) radionuclides. ICP/SFMS – 87Rb, 238U, 235U, 234U, 232Th, 230Th, 239Pu, 240Pu) |
Special radionuclide analyses in underground water, surface and waste water, sea water (e.g. Environmental monitoring of radionuclides in the vicinity of Nuclear power plants and Uranium mines and mills) |
There are many other natural and artificial radionuclides which could be required. Ask us for a quote.
Solid samples including biota
| Analytes | Sample type / matrix |
| Gross alpha and beta activities (GAA, GBA) – their sum is reported as „radionuclides“ | Soils, dredged materials (sea sediments) |
|
RCHA – 226Ra (for small sample amounts), 210Po, U, 90Sr, 14C, 3T (in moisture) GSA - natural (238U, 234Th, 230Th, 226Ra, 210Pb, 235U, 231Pa, 227Ac, 227Th, 223Ra, 228Th, 228Ra, 40K) and artificial (60Co, 137Cs, 134Cs, 131I, 241Am) radionuclides. ICP/SFMS – 238U, 235U, 234U, 232Th, 230Th, 239Pu, 240Pu) |
Special radionuclide analyses in solids (soils, sediments, rocks, biota and food samples, technological samples etc.) (e.g. Environmental monitoring of radionuclides in the vicinity of Nuclear power plants and Uranium mines and mills) |
There are many other natural and artificial radionuclides which could be required. Ask us for a quote.
Foodstuffs and feedingstuffs
| Analytes | Sample type / matrix |
|
RCHA – 90Sr GSA – artificial radionuclides: 60Co, 137Cs, 134Cs, 131I, 241Am. ICP/SFMS – 239Pu, 240Pu |
Food stuff and feeding stuff (various limits according to the legislation |
Building materials
| Analytes | Sample type / matrix |
|
GSA - natural radionuclides 226Ra, 228Th and 40K; and index of mass activity: Index of Mass Activity ( I ) = aK/3000 + aRa/300 + aTh/200 |
Determination of radionuclides in Building materials according to the legislation |
Inner/ambient air
| Analytes | Sample type / matrix |
| According to the specification RCHA, GSA or ICP/SFMS can be offered | Determination of radionuclides in the air after adsorbtion of filters |
| Long-term monitoring of Rn-222 in the inner air (3-12 months) | Radon-222 in the inner air of houses |
Contaminated wood
| Analytes | Sample type / matrix |
|
GSA - 226Ra, 137Cs, 40K ICP/SFMS – 238U and 232Th |
Determination of radionuclides in contaminated wood ash |
Laboratory Delivery time
The table below summarizes the routine delivery of results (TAT), as soon as the samples are in the Radiochemistry and Radioanalytics laboratory.
For projects of exceptional size, the TAT have to be agreed.
| Parametre | TAT | Remark |
| Gross alpha nad beta activities | 7 working days | none |
| 222Rn | 1-2 working days | Sample should be delivered during 8 days after sampling |
| RCHA - 226Ra, 210Pb | 7 working days | None |
| RCHA -210Po, U | 3-5 working days | None |
| GSA | 7 working days | None |
| GSA - 226Ra | 31 working days | 226Ra is measured when the radioactive equilibrium with its daughter product 222Rn is established |
| Tritium | 10 working days | None |
| 14C | 5 weeks | |
| 90Sr in water | 5 weeks | |
| 90Sr in solid | 6 weeks | If dried samples delivered |
| ICP/SFMS | 10 working days | Express delivery is possible at a fee |
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