Polonium–lead extractions to determine the best method for the quantification of clean lead used in low-background radiation detectors

Radiation detectors used to search for the existence of exceptionally rare phenomena, such as double-beta decay and dark matter interactions, as well as tiny traces of environmental radioactivity, require the elimination of background signals. Modern detection systems created from ultra pure materials and operated deep underground may be sensitive enough to “see” these rare phenomena, but background activity in Pb gamma-ray shielding could still be a critical stumbling block owing to alpha and beta emissions of Pb, Bi, and Po in the mass 210 chain. To minimize the probability of overwhelming activity from Pb, the alpha activity of 210Pb is quantified. However, a reliable quantification procedure that does not require large volumes of chemicals has not yet been established. Two procedures created for this purpose have been tested for the quantification of alpha activity in lead. Both procedures were designed to start with less than 10 g Pb samples to reduce reagents needed and combined precipitation with column separation to isolate 210Pb, followed by alpha spectrometry. One procedure shows promise for obtaining high recoveries and good separation.