Determination of 60Co in environmental water samples by a hydrous magnesium oxide filter

Preconcentration of trace 60Co and analogous radionuclides by adsorption on MgO for their determination in environmental water samples exemplified by seawater was demonstrated. An adsorption filter fabricated by coating hydrous MgO onto a round piece of a densely twilled nylon cloth was used to facilitate separation of the radionuclides adsorbed. The MgO adsorption filter was sealed in a polyethylene column. The water sample analyzed was pumped through the column where the radionuclides could be efficiently adsorbed onto the filter. Thereafter the radionuclides enriched filter was transferred to a high-purity germanium detector connected with a multichannel analyzer for γ-spectrometry. The novel preconcentration technique proves to be fast and efficacious and detection of 60Co becomes highly sensitive because of the very large enrichment factor.