Rapid method for radiostrontium determination in milk in emergency situations using PS resin

This study describes a new and rapid procedure for radiostrontium determination in milk samples based on the use of plastic scintillation resins (PS resins). The proposed method reduces the time of analysis by at least 2 h by combining separation and measurement preparation into a single step and optimizing the pre-treatment steps. The method is robust and reproducible, with good total recoveries (65% on average) and a relative bias for total radiostrontium activity (89Sr + 90Sr) below 7%. The minimum detectable activity for 100 mL of milk sample measured for 60 min is about 0.34 Bq L−1. The proposed method can quantify radiostrontium content in 5 h, which makes it suitable for use in emergency situations.