Radiological Air Sampling. Protocol Development for the Canadian Forces

Abstract

As part of its ongoing support to DSP 00002199, the RAE) group at DRDC Ottawa was asked to investigate how best to use the low-volume air sampler procured by the project for the Canadian Forces. The RAD group has used this air sampler to take a number of air samples at sites around the DREC Ottawa campus. These air samples have been analysed via a number of techniques, many of which rely on measurements of the sampler filters by the RDS-100 survey meter system also procured by the project. A scheme for data analysis is suggested, with an emphasis on simplicity and field expediency. The sensitivity of this scheme is evaluated in terms of the minimum detectable activities of a collection of isotopes, and the airborne hazard that these would pose to deployed forces. It is shown that the air sampler is capable of providing warning of airborne hazards consisting of low-mass beta- and gamma-emitting radionuclides. However, for hazards consisting of alpha-emitting transuranic elements, this system is incapable of detecting the hazard at levels corresponding to NATO or civilian action levels.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 2003
Accession Number
ADA418880

Entities

People

  • Dean S. Haslip
  • Diego Estan
  • Rob Buhr

Organizations

  • Defence Research and Development Canada

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Counter WMD
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Airborne
  • Alpha Decay
  • Beta Decay
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Classification
  • Data Analysis
  • Data Sets
  • Dose Rate
  • Elements
  • False Alarms
  • Gamma Rays
  • Measurement
  • Radiation
  • Radioactive Decay
  • Radioactive Materials
  • Security
  • Transuranium Elements

Readers

  • Canadian European Scientific Immigration and Epilepsy Clearance Studies
  • Critical Infrastructure Protection in CBRN and WMD Threats.
  • Nuclear and Radiation Engineering.