Improved technique for recovery and measurement of polonium-210 from environmental materials

Polonium-210 obtained in acidic solution by digestion of sediment or tissue samples is efficiently plated onto one side of a silver disc for measurement of α-activity. Optimum conditions for solutions obtained from environmental samples are pH 1.5–2 in the presence of citrate and ascorbic acid, with the solution at 80°C and the silver disc rotated at 100–150 radian s^?1. Observed recoveries using a polonium-208 tracer are 97.5 ± 2.5% for sediments and 99.3 ± 1.3% for tissues.