Rapid on-site radionuclide screening of aqueous waste streams using dip-stick technologies and liquid scintillation counting

This paper describes an early-stage evaluation of a purpose-designed extraction/detection system that can be deployed by non-specialists either on-site or as part of a mobile laboratory. The system comprises three main components; (1) an optimised compact extraction system for recovery of radionuclides from the waste form; (2) an extraction test strip designed to recover the radionuclides from the waste digest; (3) a scintillation-based detection system capable of quantification of alpha, low energy beta and high energy beta emitting radionuclides. Data are presented on the preliminary assessment of the extraction/detection system for the measurement of (90)Sr and (99)Tc in aqueous wastes.