Determination of isotopic thorium in biological samples by combined alpha-spectrometry and neutron activation analysis

The determination of isotopic thorium by alpha-spectrometric methods is a routine practice for bioassay and environmental measurement programs. Alpha-spectrometry has excellent detection limits (by mass) for all isotopes of thorium except232Th due to its extremely long half-life. This paper reports a pre-concentration neutron activation analysis (PCNAA) method for232Th that may be performed following alpha-spectrometry if a suitable source preparation material is utilized. Human tissues and other samples were spiked with229Th and the thorium was isolated from the sample using ion exchange chromatography. The thorium was then electrodeposited from a sulfate-based medium onto a vanadium planchet, counted by alpha-spectrometry, and then analyzed for232Th by neutron activation analysis. The radiochemical yield was determined from the alpha-spectrometric method. Detection limits for232Th by this PCNAA method are approximately 50 times lower than achieved by alphaspectrometry.