Characterization of coal and charcoal by alpha-particle and gamma-ray spectrometry. (November 2015) - Carrasco Lourtau, A.M.
Abstract: Although coal and charcoal have similar physical and chemical characteristics, there are several crystallographic procedures used to distinguish and characterize them. But if the matrix is crushed, there is no standard procedure to distinguish coal from charcoal. In this work, a procedure to characterize coal and charcoal samples based on the radioactive content is proposed. The first assay is by gamma-ray spectrometry, which allows a part of the radioactive content to be determined rapidly and non-destructively. Then, alpha-particle spectrometry is applied to assay the content of those radionuclides which are difficult to determine precisely by gamma-ray spectrometry. This second technique requires prior chemical purification of the carbon sample in order to separate the corresponding radionuclides of interest. Highlights: Determination of activity concentrations of radionuclides in coals and charcoals. Efficiency transfer method for calibration of an HPGe detector to study extended samples with wide ranges of densities. Leaching the carbon samples for the radiochemical procedure prior to alpha-particle spectrometry.