DIN ISO 18589-3:2015-10

Characterization of radioactivity in the environment provides a distribution pattern of the activity with the aim to identify areas with possible increased exposition. These investigations provide the bases for estimation of exposition by natural and artificial radioactivity due to human activities. This part of the DIN ISO 18589 series describes the measurement of the activity in soils of a large number of gamma-emitting radionuclides and using gamma spectrometry. This method serves for the determination in a single measurement of all the gamma emitters present for which the photon energy is between 5 keV and 3 MeV. The following modifications have been made with respect to DIN ISO 18589-3:2009-02: a) the title has been clarified; b) the scope has been expanded to the investigation of unsieved material above 200 µm, for example building materials rubble; c) the determination of the characteristic sizes (detection limit, decision threshold and confidence interval) is conducted according to DIN ISO 11929-2011; d) 8.1 was supplemented by statements on the uncertainty and overlapping of the gamma lines; e) 8.2 has been supplemented by information of the net peak area with information for determination of the net peak area by a software using unfolding techniques; f) the test report in simplified form after the national footnote to Annex 9 has been deleted; g) in Table B.1 the indicated emission probability have been corrected; h) the Bibliography has been revised. The responsible committee is Joint Subcommittee DKE/GUK 967.2 "Aktivitätsmessgeräte für den Strahlenschutz" ("Activity meters for radiation protection") of the DKE (German Commission for Electrical, Electronic and Information Technologies) at DIN and VDE, Joint Committee with the Radiology Standards Committee (NAR) at DIN.