Nondestructive characterization of radioactive waste drums by gamma spectrometry: a Monte Carlo technique for efficiency calibration.

; A semi-empirical non-destructive technique to assay radioactive waste drums is presented. The technique is based on gamma spectrometry performed using a portable NaI detector and Monte Carlo simulations using the MCNP code in order to derive the gamma ray detector efficiency for the volume source. The derivation of detector efficiency was performed assuming homogeneous distribution of the source activity within the matrix material. Moreover, the MCNP model was used to examine the effect of inhomogeneities in activity distribution, variation of matrix material density, and drum filling height on the accuracy of the technique, and to estimate the measurement bias. The technique was verified by estimating radioactivity levels in 25 drums containing ion exchange resin waste, and comparing the results of the non-destructive method against the analytical results of samples obtained from each drum. Satisfactory agreement between the two assay techniques was observed. The discussed technique represents a cost effective technology that can be used to assay low-activity, low-density waste drums provided the contribution to the gamma ray spectrum can be resolved.