Gamma Spectrometry

Gamma spectrometry is a technique widely used to determine the quality and quantity of gamma-emitting radionuclide concentrations in test samples. The method enjoys numerous possible applications: from monitoring environmental radioactivity, to controlling internal contamination in healthcare physics, to the characterisation of materials to be released during the dismantling of a radiological system.

Thanks to its use of portable HPGe instruments and calculation methods based on Monte Carlo simulation, LBS can also conduct gamma spectrometry measurements outside its own laboratory on samples of any form, such as barrels, scrap, work surfaces, walls, land.

LBS uses solely high resolution HPGe gamma spectrometry systems to determine levels, comprising:

  • Lead collimators;
  • Electrically cooled germanium detector;
  • Digital signal acquisition system comprising pre-amplifier, high voltage generator, digital signal processor and multichannel memory;
  • Dedicated software package for the acquisition, calculation of measurement efficiency and management of measurements.

​The field of application includes all the radionuclides characterised by gamma photon emission with energy from 50 keV to 2000 keV.

The test report issued by LB Services contains the following in a single document:

  • The sample’s ID data;
  • Reference to the test method used;
  • Test results, and relative extended uncertainties, with an indication of the coverage factor, for all radionuclides identified in the sample;
  • The detectability limit for the radionuclides of interest that have not been identified in the sample.

Applications

Determining the concentration of gamma-emitting radionuclides.


Characteristics

  • Excellent resolution that allows distinction to be made between two energy distance peaks below 2 keV;
  • Automatic identification system of peaks and subtraction of environmental base, correction of self-absorption, subtraction by coincidences and deterioration;
  • Wide range or reference geometries, also thanks to the possibility of determining efficiency by using Monte Carlo modelling codes

Technical specifications

Reference standard: UNI 19017:2017
Sensitive materials: Portable HPGe dosimeter
Field of application: 50 – 2000 keV