Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-8bhkd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-17T23:36:09.703Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Evaluation of High-Purity Synthetic Silica Vials in Active and Passive Vial Holders for Liquid Scintillation Counting of Benzene

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2016

A. G. Hogg
Affiliation:
Radiocarbon Dating Laboratory, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
J. E. Noakes
Affiliation:
Center for Applied Isotope Studies, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30605 USA
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

We evaluate high-purity synthetic silica vials in both delrin and active plastic holders (Pico adapters™) for 14C dating, using liquid scintillation counting of benzene. We have designed synthetic silica vials in the form of simple cylinder-cells based on the standard 7-ml vial. We have also designed a delrin holder for supporting 7-ml silica or glass vials. We compare the counting efficiency and background of the silica vials with Teflon, plastic and low-K glass vials for both delrin holders and Pico adapters in the 1220 Quantulus and Packard Tri-Carb 2660 XL, fitted with a plastic detector guard. In the 1220 Quantulus, synthetic silica vials in Pico adapters have the highest figure of merit (FM), closely followed by silica in delrin holders and Teflon. In the Packard Tri-Carb 2660 XL, plastic vials in Pico adapters give the highest FM.

Type
I. Sample Preparation and Measurement Techniques
Copyright
Copyright © The American Journal of Science 

References

Cook, G. T., Harkness, D. D. and Anderson, R. 1989 Performance of the Packard 2000 CA/LL and 2250 CA/XL liquid scintillation counters for 14C dating. In Long, A. and Kra, R. S., eds., Proceedings of the 13th International 14C Conference. Radiocarbon 31(3): 352358.Google Scholar
Devine, J. M. and Haas, H. 1987 Scintillation counter performance at the SMU radiocarbon laboratory. Radiocarbon 29(1): 1217.Google Scholar
Haas, H. 1979 Specific problems with liquid scintillation counting of small benzene volumes and background count rate estimations. In Berger, R. and Suess, H. E., eds., Radiocarbon Dating. Proceedings of the 9th International 14C Conference. Berkeley, University of California Press: 246255.Google Scholar
Hogg, A. G., Polach, H. A., Robertson, S. and Noakes, J. 1991 Application of high purity synthetic quartz vials to liquid scintillation low-level 14C counting of benzene. In Ross, H., Noakes, J. and Spaulding, J., eds., Liquid Scintillation Counting and Organic Scintillators. Chelsea, Michigan, Lewis Publishers, Inc.: 123131.Google Scholar
Kalin, R. M. and Long, A. 1989 Radiocarbon dating with the Quantulus in an underground counting laboratory: Performance and background sources. In Long, A. and Kra, R. S., eds., Proceedings of the 13th International 14C Conference. Radiocarbon 31(3): 359367.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Noakes, J. E. and Valenta, R. J. 1989 Low background liquid scintillation counting using an active sample holder and pulse discrimination electronics. In Long, A. and Kra, R. S., eds., Proceedings of the 13th International 14C Conference. Radiocarbon 31(3): 332341.Google Scholar
Polach, H. A., Calf, G., Harkness, D., Hogg, A. G., Kaihola, L. and Robertson, S. 1988a Performance of new technology liquid scintillation counters for 14C dating. Nuclear Geophysics 2: 7579.Google Scholar
Polach, H. A., Gower, J., Kojola, H. and Heinonen, A. 1983 An ideal vial and cocktail for low-level scintillation counting. In McQuarrie, S. A., Ediss, C. and Wiebe, L. I., eds., Advances in Scintillation Counting. Edmonton, University of Alberta Press: 508525.Google Scholar
Polach, H. A., Kaihola, L., Robertson, S. and Haas, H. 1988b Small sample 14C dating by liquid scintillation spectrometry. Radiocarbon 30(2): 153155.Google Scholar
Polach, H. A., Kojola, H., Nurmi, J. and Soini, E. 1984 Multiparameter liquid scintillation spectrometry. In Wölfli, W., Polach, H. A. and Anderson, H. H., eds., Proceedings of the 3rd International Symposium on Accelerator Mass Spectrometry. Nuclear Instruments and Methods B5: 439442.Google Scholar