The routine determination of principal gamma emitting radionuclides in muds and silts from the ribble estuary

Abstract

BNFL Springfields Works make authorised discharges of liquid radioactive effluent into the River Ribble estuary. In order to monitor the effect of these discharges MAFF require that mud samples taken four times per year from the estuary are analysed for principal gamma emitters. A routine procedure has been developed for the preparation of samples and for their examination by gamma spectrometry. The paper describes the investigative work which led to the development of this procedure and also the way in which control samples are used to monitor the method performance. Some typical results are presented and compared with those reported by other analysts who have examined the Ribble estuary muds.