Evaluating practicability of an LSC method for routine monitoring gross alpha and beta activities in water samples in Taiwan.

Abstract A procedure using liquid scintillation counting for the monitoring of gross alpha and beta activities in environmental water was implemented to improve the conventional procedure using GFPC adopted in Taiwan. The new procedure was acquired through calibration and validation, and then was applied to the monitoring of surface water in Taiwan. This procedure can improve 2–4 times of detection efficiencies and takes only 70–80% of analysis time with reliable accuracy. With these features, the newly developed procedure is favorable during emergency situations.