Analytical methods to determine 210Po and 210Pb in marine samples

This paper describes the methods of sampling, preconcentration, chemical separation and final count of Po-210 and Pb-210 present in different marine matrices to determine their background levels in a marine ecosystem. Complex, time consuming and selective radioanalytical methods have been used to prepare final clear sources for alpha spectrometry and beta count; in fact, gamma spectrometry, a method direct and non destructive, cannot be taken into account because the Pb-210 activity is very low which does not allow to carry out sufficiently accurate measurements and Po-210 is not a gamma emitter but it emits only alpha particle at 5.40 MeV. The results of Po-210 and Pb-210 activity concentrations obtained in different marine samples collected in the first two campaigns are still very few to discuss about the Po-210 and Pb-210 behavior in marine environment. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.