Abstract: This work is undertaken to compare the efficiency of NaI(Tl) and HPGe detectors on determination of the activity concentrations of the primordial radionuclides in the soil samples. NaI(Tl) and HPGe set-up located at National Institute of Radiation Protection and Research (NIRPR), University of Ibadan, Nigeria were used for the analysis. The activity concentration of 238U, 232Th, and 40K in the soil samples ranged from 8.82 - 44.22 Bq/kg, 11.02 - 43.96 Bq/kg, and 57.45 - 527 Bq/kg respectively for HPGe analysis, and from 0.16 - 11.28 Bq/kg, 0.10 - 7.31 Bq/kg, and 113.26 - 589.01 Bq/kg respectively for NaI(Tl) analysis. HPGe detector recorded higher activity concentrations of 238U and 232Th, hence more efficient in detecting nuclides with low energies than the NaI(Tl) detector. Whereas, NaI(Tl) detector recorded higher activity concentration of 40K, and is more efficient in detecting nuclides of high energies than HPGe detector. Therefore, we conclude that HPGe detector is more efficient in detecting gamma rays of low energy, but less efficient in detecting gamma ray of high energy compare to the NaI(Tl) detector.
Keywords: NaI(Tl) detector, HPGe detector, Activity Concentrations, Efficiency.
Title: A Comparative Study of NaI(Tl) and HPGe Detectors on Determination of the Activity Concentrations of 40K, 232Th and 238U in Soil Samples
Author: Christopher M. Odoh, Moses E. Onudibia, Amaitem J. Iseh, John A. Ocheje, Bumi J. Akeredolu, Yangde A. Ezekiel, Matthew U. Mgbukwu
International Journal of Mathematics and Physical Sciences Research
ISSN 2348-5736 (Online)
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