Overview

In situ gamma spectrometry is an effective method to obtain a rapid assessment of the activity in soil and the resulting local dose rate of the radionuclide present. It is a powerful measurement technique for nuclide-specific determination of gamma-emitting radionuclides in and on the soil. It represents a direct measurement method that eliminates the need for sampling, which is generally very time-consuming and labor-intensive. However, the quantitative evaluation of the recorded pulse height spectra requires the selection of suitable measurement areas. In addition, knowledge about certain physical properties of the soil as well as about the distribution of radionuclides in the soil is required. DIN EN ISO 18589-7 (VDE 0493-4-5897) applies to portable in situ gamma spectrometry systems with germanium and scintillation detectors for fast activity determination of artificial and natural radionuclides in or on soil. It can also apply for activity determination by clearance procedures in nuclear plants, for example buildings and floor space. The standard is applied to measurements of both natural and artificial radionuclides occurring on the surface and in soil. In-situ gamma spectrometry includes further applications such as measurement of contaminated soils (contaminated sites) and during environmental remediation, detection of airborne artificial radionuclides, determination of the level of radiation exposure in buildings or detection of radionuclides during the waste disposal process. If there is no sufficiently precise knowledge of the distribution of the radionuclide to be determined in the environment (extraneous contributions, unknown distribution in the soil) or very high photon flux densities (dead time problem), the method can generally no longer be used. The German standard, published in 2014 as DIN ISO 18589-7 (VDE 0493-4-5897), is to be adopted as European standard EN ISO 18589-7 without changes to the substantive content and then reissued as DIN EN ISO 18589-7 (VDE 0493-4-5897). The responsible committee is DKE/GUK 967.2 "Aktivitätsmessgeräte für den Strahlenschutz" ("Radiation protection instrumentation") of the DKE (German Commission for Electrical, Electronic and Information Technologies) at DIN and VDE.

Document: references other documents

Document: referenced in other documents

Responsible national committee

DKE/GK 851 - Aktivitätsmessgeräte für den Strahlenschutz  

Responsible european committee

CEN/TC 430 - Nuclear energy, nuclear technologies, and radiological protection