BS EN ISO 18589-3:2024
Measurement of radioactivity in the environment. Soil - Test method of gamma-emitting radionuclides using gamma-ray spectrometry

Standard No.

BS EN ISO 18589-3:2024

Release Date

2024

Published By

British Standards Institution (BSI)  GB  /  BSI

Latest

BS EN ISO 18589-3:2024

Scope

This document specifies the identification and the measurement of the activity in soils of a large number of gamma-emitting radionuclides using gamma spectrometry. This non-destructive method, applicable to large-volume samples (up to about 3 l), covers the determination in a single measurement of all the γ-emitters present for which the photon energy is between 5 keV and 3 MeV. Generic test method and fundamentals using gamma-ray spectrometry are described in ISO 20042. This document can be applied by test laboratories performing routine radioactivity measurements as a majority of gamma-emitting radionuclides is characterized by gamma-ray emission between 40 keV and 2 MeV. The method can be implemented using a germanium or other type of detector with a resolution better than 5 keV. This document addresses methods and practices for determining gamma-emitting radionuclides activity present in soil, including rock from bedrock and ore, construction materials and products, pottery, etc. This includes such soils and material containing naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) or those from technological processes involving Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (TENORM) (e.g. the mining and processing of mineral sands or phosphate fertilizer production and use) as well as of sludge and sediment. This determination of gamma-emitting radionuclides activity is typically performed for the purpose of radiation protection. It is suitable for the surveillance of the environment and the inspection of a site and allows, in case of accidents, a quick evaluation of gamma activity of soil samples. This might concern soils from gardens, farmland, urban or industrial sites that can contain building materials rubble, as well as soil not affected by human activities. When the radioactivity characterization of the unsieved material above 200 μm or 250 μm, made of petrographic nature or of anthropogenic origin such as building materials rubble, is required, this material can be crushed in order to obtain a homogeneous sample for testing as described in

BS EN ISO 18589-3:2024 Referenced Document

• ISO 10703 Water quality - Gamma-ray emitting radionuclides - Test method using high resolution gamma-ray spectrometry
• ISO 11074 Soil quality — Vocabulary*， 2025-03-05 Update
• ISO 18589-1 Measurement of radioactivity in the environment — Soil — Part 1: General guidelines and definitions
• ISO 20042 Measurement of radioactivity — Gamma-ray emitting radionuclides — Generic test method using gamma-ray spectrometry
• ISO/IEC 17025 General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories [Standard in French]

BS EN ISO 18589-3:2024 history

• 2024 BS EN ISO 18589-3:2024 Measurement of radioactivity in the environment. Soil - Test method of gamma-emitting radionuclides using gamma-ray spectrometry
• 2017 BS EN ISO 18589-3:2017 Measurement of radioactivity in the environment. Soil. Test method of gamma-emitting radionuclides using gamma-ray spectrometry

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