Measurements of Rn-222 in water by liquid scintillation counting of polycarbonates

This work presents the results of a preliminary study of a new technique for measurement of ²²²Rn in water. The technique involves exposure in water of polycarbonates with high absorption ability to radon followed by liquid scintillation counting (LSC) of the polycarbonates. The LSC is used to register the alpha and beta radiation emitted by radon that is absorbed in the polycarbonates and its products. The results show that this new technique could reach higher sensitivity than that of standard LSC of water. Another advantage is that the polycarbonates could be exposed directly in the water basin. In addition, the performance of a new algorithm for comparison of similar LSC spectra is illustrated using the spectra of the exposed polycarbonates. The algorithm successfully finds statistically significant differences between the spectra. It could be applicable for analysis of differences related to variations in the registration efficiency, quenching or presence of different nuclides in the sample.