Megavolt accelerator systems for environmental monitoring at ANSTO
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Date
2023-01
Authors
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Volume Title
Publisher
Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation
Abstract
The accelerator based ion beam techniques of ion beam analysis (IBA) and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) have been applied to environmental studies for many decades. IBA is particularly suited to fine particle air pollution studies where multi-elemental analysis of microgram samples is required. AMS, using 14C isotope, is a key tool for climate change studies and other isotopes like 36Cl and 10Be can be applied to ground water and soil erosion studies depending on the isotopic half-life and timescale being used. Megavolt accelerator systems together with modern detector systems are capable of individual atom and photon counting and consequently are very sensitive detection systems. They are capable of precise and accurate measurements on very small sample sizes. The multi-element IBA technique of PIXE is capable of measuring some elements with (µg/g) sensitivity on picogram (pg) samples. The AMS techniques used in 14C analysis have achieved dates out to 50,000 years on 10 µg samples.
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Keywords
Accelerators, Ion beams, Mass spectroscopy, Fine particles, Air pollution, Carbon 14, Climatic change, Chlorine 36, Beryllium 10, Ground water, PIXE analysis
Citation
Cohen, D. D. (2023). Megavolt accelerator systems for environmental monitoring at ANSTO. (ANSTO-E-793). Lucas Heights, NSW: Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation.