Evaluation of different methods for measuring 89Sr and 90Sr: Measurement uncertainty for the different methods as a function of the activity ratio.

In case of a radiological emergency situation involving e.g. fission of uranium or plutonium, analysis of radioactive strontium will be of importance. The primary radionuclides of interest are 90Sr, its progeny 90Y and 89Sr. A few days following an event, 89Sr will be the predominant radioisotope of strontium. Most methods found in the literature are valid and applicable when measuring 90Sr, but when samples contain both 89Sr/90Sr interference problematics arise. How these interferences are dealt with will have an effect on the uncertainty of the 90Sr determination. This work aims at evaluating three measurement approaches, all mentioned in the literature, with respect to the measurement uncertainty when determining 90Sr in an emergency preparedness situation and to propose a suitable measurement strategy.