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UK DM project: radioactivity test results

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Homestake (Avignone et al.) data

sample (source) analysis U conc.
(ppb)
Th conc.
(ppb)
K conc.
(ppm)
comments
by method
Al W GES < 5 - 2700(a) 80 - 2300(b) < 10 - 500  
Al W GES 0.5(c) 8(c) 40 (P)
Al (U. Min. & Chem.) (6N) W GES <0.5(c) <2(c) < 6 (P)
Al sheet W GES < 0.7 - 20(c) < 8 - 370(c) < 270 (P)
Al 25 (Harshaw) W GES <7(c) 50(c) 540 (P)
Al 1100 (Alcoa) W GES <3(c) 30 - 100(c) < 60 (P)
Al 3003 (Alcoa) W GES <3(c) 40(c) 300 (P)
Al 6061 (Alcoa) W GES 4(c) 170(c) < 30 (P)
Al2O3 (Harshaw) (reflector) W GES <7(c) 45(c) < 160 (P)
Apiezon O W GES 440(c) 1900(c) 1500 (P)
Be W GES 950(a) 110(b) < 600  
Be (window) W GES 390(c) 530(c) < 6 (P)
CaCO3 W GES 0.25(6)(c) 1.2(c) < 5 (P)
CdF2 (Harshaw) (light guide) W GES <0.3(c) <1.3(c) < 6 (P)
Charcoal W GES <0.5(c) <1.3(c) < 11 (P)
Cu W GES < 1 - 4(a) <4(b) < 6  
Cu OFHC W GES < 1 - 14(a) <4(b) < 6  
Cu rod W GES <3(c) <8(c) < 50 (P)
Cu sheet W GES <0.6(c) <20(c) < 110 (P)
Cu 101 W GES <0.07(a) <0.4(b) < 0.3  
Cutting oil W GES <4(a) <5(b) < 11  
Electrical tape (3M) W GES <6(c) <16(c) < 50 (P)
Epoxy W GES < 100 - 7×104 (a) 600 - 5×104 (b) 600 - 4×104  
Epoxy W GES 1(c) 2.5(c) 100 (P)
Fe, `old' W GES <0.5(c) <1.3(c) < 6 (P)
Ge cylinder W GES <1(c) <4(c) < 11 (P)
Ge cylinder W GES <2(c) <8(c) < 22 (P)
Ge ingot W GES < 2(c) < 8(c) < 27 (P)
Glass tubing W GES 30(c) 200(c) 2700 (P)
Grease, HV W GES <10(a) <10(b) < 5  
In W GES <4(a) <10(b) < 11  
Lacquer W GES <0.5(c) <0.8(c) < 22 (P)
Lavite clay(d) W GES 290(c) 1600(c) 5400 (P)
Lucalox W GES 40(c) 250(c) 540 (P)
Millipore W GES <0.9(c) <0.8(c) < 6 (P)
Mg ingot (Dow) W GES <0.2(c) <4(c) < 11 (P)
Mg rod W GES <4(c) 25(c) 50 (P)
MgO W GES 6(1)(c) 7(2)(c) 100 (P)
MgO (Harshaw) (reflector) W GES < 5 - 14(c) < 20 - 36(c) < 120 (P)
Molecular sieve W GES 1500 - 4000(a) 5000 - 6000(b) 4000 - 5000  
Molecular sieve W GES 300(c) 1900(c) 4900 (P)
Mylar, aluminized W GES 300(a) <1100(b) < 1100  
NaI(Tl) W GES <6(a) <40(b) < 20  
Neoprene W GES <1(c) <3(c) < 190 (P)
Pb W GES <0.06(a) <0.2(b) < 0.06  
Pb (Cominco) B ?       210Pb 26 kru
Pb (`New Doe Run') B ?       210Pb 8 Mru
Pb (`Old Doe Run') B ?       210Pb 30 Mru
Pb (Roman, Spanish) B ?       210Pb £ 9 kru
Pb shavings W GES <1(c) <3(c) < 20 (P)
PCB W GES 5500(a) 2.3×104 × (b) 2200  
Plastic tubing W GES <6(a) 50(b) < 500  
Portland cement W GES 130(c) 100(c) 2400 (P)
PVC foam W GES 40 - 90(c) < 80 - 400(c) 190 - 900 (P)
Pyrex (Harshaw) (window) W GES 26(c) 180(c) 2100 (P)
Quartz (Harshaw) (window) W GES <1.7(c) <7.5(c) < 40 (P)
Quartz W GES < 30 - 1400(a) 70 - 700(b) < 110  
`Reflector materials' W GES < 1 - 300(a) < 1 - 1100(b) < 3 - 200  
Rubber W GES 100 - 120(c) 50(c) 1000 (P)
Rubber, foam (US Rubber) W GES 1500(c) 800(c) 1.34×104 (P)
Rubber, sponge W GES 110 - 1600(a) 600 - 2300(b) < 220 - 1100  
Se (59S) W GES 1(c) 16(c) 5560 (P)
Silica, fused W GES <15(a) <250(b) < 60  
Silicone foam W GES 70(a) 230(b) < 110  
Solder W GES 50(c) 160(c) < 6 (P)
Solder W GES <1(a) <4(b) < 6  
Steel, pre-WW II W GES <1.2(a) <6(b) < 6  
Steel, stainless 304 W GES 0.7(c) <2.5(c) 33 60Co 30 kru (P)
Steel, stainless 304-L W GES <0.5(c) <2(c) < 11 60Co 30 kru (P)
Steel, stainless W GES <8(a) <25(b) < 110  
Teflon W GES < 2 - 10(a) <4(b) < 11  
Ti W GES < 0.2 - 4(c) 0.8(c) < 6 (P)
Wire, teflon coated W GES <2(a) <50(b) < 11  
Analysts: Analysis methods:
B: R. L. Brodzinski GES: Gamma Emission Spectroscopy
W: N. A. Wogman et al.

Notes:

(a): from 214Bi g count, U chain assumed in equilibrium.
(b): from 208Tl g count, Th chain assumed in equilibrium.
(c): U, Th quoted in disintegrations min-1g -1, chains in equilibrium. I convert assuming this is disintegrations in chain.
(d): `Old-style surface barrier detectors'
(P): pre-Homestake results of the Pacific Northwest Laboratory group.

Other remarks:

ppm: parts per million by weight, = conc. × 106 ppb: parts per (US) billion by weight, = conc. × 109
ppt: parts per (US) trillion by weight, = conc. × 1012   errors: 0.035(10) (e.g.) means 0.035 ± 0.01 (1 s.)
1 kru = 103 decays/day/kg 1 Mru = 106 decays/day/kg