The iSERIES radon progeny compensation algorithm and its application to air filters.

Sandia has developed methods to perform a rapid count using Canberra’s iSERIESTM Alpha/Beta Counting System, the iSOLOTM. The purpose of this report is to show that by using the iSERIESTM built-in radon progeny compensation algorithm, the radon progeny-free gross alpha air concentration can be determined for a sample taken using a high volume air sampler or a lapel device within a few hours post-sampling. Also, a special form of the Currie Minimum Detectable Activity estimation was derived for use with the radon progeny stripping algorithm after it was discovered that the expression used by the Canberra software did not take the counts due to radon progeny into consideration as part of the background. This rapid air sample analysis proves to be a vast improvement to the current method that has an average turn-around time between seven and ten days.