@article{fdi:010085887,
  title = {{Q}uantifying {R}a-226 activity in a complex assemblage of {R}a-226-bearing minerals using alpha autoradiography and {SEM}/{EDS}},
  author = {{B}esan{\c{c}}on, {C}. and {S}ardini, {P}. and {S}avoye, {S}. and {D}escostes, {M}. and {G}{\'e}rard, {M}artine},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{R}a-226 is an ultra-trace element with important environmental implications for many industries (including water treatment and oil and mineral extraction). {I}ts extremely low concentrations in natural environments do not allow for direct observation and measurement of the {R}a-226-bearing minerals governing {R}a-226 mobility. {T}o better understand the retention processes for {R}a-226 in rocks and soil, a synthesized assemblage of {R}a-226-doped minerals was made, combining montmorillonite, ferrihydrite and barite. {A} new methodology was developed using alpha activity maps acquired using alpha autoradiography, and elemental maps by using {SEM}/{EDS}. {T}hese maps were processed using a global approach, considering the entirety of the signal. {T}he comparison of the alpha activity map and the elemental map enabled a correlation to be established between the {R}a-226 activity and the chemical composition and identification of the main {R}a-226-bearing mineral of the assemblage, from which we were able to estimate the contribution of each mineral to the total activity of the assemblage, and to quantify the {R}a-226-activity for each mineral. {T}his methodology makes it possible to link mineralogy and occurrence of {R}a-226 at the scale of the mineral (tens of mu m). {I}t can be applied to natural samples, including fine-grained samples with a complex mineralogy.},
  keywords = {},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{J}ournal of {E}nvironmental {R}adioactivity},
  volume = {251-252},
  numero = {},
  pages = {106951 [10 ]},
  ISSN = {0265-931{X}},
  year = {2022},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.jenvrad.2022.106951},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010085887},
}