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  2. Environmental Sampling and Analytical Methods (ESAM) Program

SAM Radiochemical Methods

Selected Methods
  • Chemical Methods
  • Radiochemical Methods
  • Pathogen Methods
  • Biotoxin Methods

Selected Analytical Methods for Environmental Remediation and Recovery (SAM) provides a list of analytical methods to be used in analyzing environmental samples and outdoor building materials for radiochemical contaminants following a homeland security incident. Methods have been selected for each isotope and for each sample type that potentially may need to be measured and analyzed.

Please note: SAM provides guidance for selecting radiochemical methods that have a high likelihood of assuring analytical consistency when laboratories are tasked with analyzing samples following a large scale radiological or nuclear contamination incident. Although the majority of methods have been validated for the analyte/sample type combination for which they have been selected, validation is still needed for a few of the methods that have been selected for analysis of vegetation. Please refer to the specified method to identify analyte/sample type combinations that have been verified. Any questions regarding information for radiochemical analytes and/or methods should be addressed to the appropriate contact(s) listed on the Technical Contacts page of this website. See: SAM Technical Contacts.

To determine the appropriate method that is to be used on an environmental sample, locate the analyte of concern using the Radiochemical Methods Query page. The SAM query provides access to summary information, extracted from the selected methods. Each method summary contains a table identifying the contaminants in SAM to which the method applies, a brief description of the analytical method, and a link to or source for obtaining a full version of the method. The full version of the method should be consulted prior to sample analysis. See: Radiochemical Methods Query.

Below is a list of all selected radiochemical methods. Due to the complexity of some tables and graphics, some of our information is not amenable to a screen reader. If you have trouble accessing information contact Amelia McCall (McCall.Amelia@epa.gov) and accommodations will be made.

Method ID

Method Title

Method 111 (EPA)

EPA Method 111: Determination of Polonium-210 Emissions from Stationary Sources

900.0 (EPA)

EPA Method 900.0: Gross Alpha and Gross Beta Radioactivity in Drinking Water

901.1 (EPA)

EPA Method 901.1: Gamma Emitting Radionuclides in Drinking Water

905.0 (EPA)

EPA Method 905.0: Radioactive Strontium in Drinking Water

906.0 (EPA)

EPA Method 906.0: Tritium in Drinking Water

907.0 (EPA)
(152 pp, 6,400 K, About PDF)

EPA Method 907.0: Actinide Elements in Drinking Water - Thorium, Uranium, Neptunium, Plutonium, Americium and Curium

EMSL-33 (EPA)

EPA Method EMSL-33: Isotopic Determination of Plutonium, Uranium, and Thorium in Water, Soil, Air, and Biological Tissue

Rapid Water Method for Phosphorus-32 (EPA)

EPA Method: Rapid Radiochemical Method for Phosphorus-32 in Water for Environmental Restoration Following Homeland Security Events

R4-73-014 (EPA)

EPA Method R4-73-014: Radioactive Phosphorus

Determination of Radiostrontium in Food and Bioenvironmental Samples (EPA)

EPA Method: Determination of Radiostrontium in Food and Bioenvironmental Samples

Rapid Water Method for Americium-241 (EPA)

EPA Method: Rapid Radiochemical Method for Americium-241 in Water for Environmental Restoration Following Homeland Security Events

Rapid Water Method for Plutonium-238 and Plutonium-239/240 (EPA)

EPA Method: Rapid Radiochemical Method for Plutonium-238 and Plutonium-239/240 in Water for Environmental Restoration Following Homeland Security Events

Rapid Water Method for Radium-226 (EPA)

EPA Method: Rapid Radiochemical Method for Radium-226 in Water for Environmental Restoration Following Homeland Security Events

Rapid Water Method for Radiostrontium (EPA)

EPA Method: Rapid Radiochemical Method for Radiostrontium in Water for Environmental Restoration Following Homeland Security Events

Rapid Water Method for Isotopic Uranium (EPA)

EPA Method: Rapid Radiochemical Method for Isotopic Uranium in Water for Environmental Restoration Following Homeland Security Events

Rapid Method for Acid Digestion of Filters and Swipes (EPA)

EPA Method: Rapid Method for Acid Digestion of Glass-Fiber and Organic/Polymeric Composition Filters and Swipes Prior to Isotopic Uranium, Plutonium, Americium, Strontium, and Radium Analyses for Environmental Remediation Following Homeland Security Events

Rapid Method for Sodium Carbonate Fusion of Filters and Swipes (EPA)

EPA Method: Rapid Method for Sodium Carbonate Fusion of Glass-Fiber and Organic/Polymeric Composition Filters and Swipes Prior to Isotopic Uranium, Plutonium, Americium, Strontium, and Radium Analyses for Environmental Remediation Following Homeland Security Events

Rapid Method for Fusion of Soil (EPA)

EPA Method: Rapid Method for Fusion of Soil and Soil-Related Matrices Prior to Americium, Plutonium, and Uranium Analyses for Environmental Remediation Following Radiological Incidents

Rapid Method for Sodium Carbonate Fusion of Soil (EPA)

EPA Method: Rapid Method for Sodium Carbonate Fusion of Soil and Soil-Related Matrices Prior to Strontium-90 Analyses for Environmental Remediation Following Radiological Incidents

Rapid Method for Sodium Hydroxide/Sodium Peroxide Fusion (EPA)

EPA Method: Rapid Method for Sodium Hydroxide/Sodium Peroxide Fusion of Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator Materials in Water and Air Filter Matrices Prior to Plutonium Analyses for Environmental Remediation Following Radiological Incidents

Rapid Method for Sodium Hydroxide Fusion of Concrete and Brick (EPA)

EPA Method: Rapid Method for Sodium Hydroxide Fusion of Concrete and Brick Matrices Prior to Americium, Plutonium, Strontium, Radium, and Uranium Analyses for Environmental Remediation Following Radiological Incidents

Rapid Method for Sodium Hydroxide Fusion of Asphalt Matrices (EPA)

EPA Method: Rapid Method for Sodium Hydroxide Fusion of Asphalt Matrices Prior to Americium, Plutonium, Strontium, Radium, and Uranium Analyses

Rapid Method for Sodium Hydroxide Fusion of Asphalt Roofing Materials (EPA)

EPA Method: Rapid Method for Sodium Hydroxide Fusion of Asphalt Roofing Materials Prior to Americium, Plutonium, Strontium, Radium, and Uranium Analyses

Rapid Method for Californium-252 (EPA)

EPA Method: Rapid Radiochemical Method for Californium-252 in Water, Air Particulate Filters, Swipes and Soil for Environmental Remediation Following Radiological Incidents

Rapid Method for Curium-244 in Water (EPA)

EPA Method: Rapid Radiochemical Method for Curium-244 in Water Samples for Environmental Remediation Following Radiological Incidents

Rapid Method for Curium-244 in Air, Filters, Swipes and Soil (EPA)

EPA Method: Rapid Radiochemical Method for Curium-244 in Air Particulate Filters, Swipes and Soil

Rapid Method for Radium-226 in Building Materials (EPA)

EPA Method: Rapid Radiochemical Method for Radium-226 in Building Materials for Environmental Remediation Following Radiological Incidents

Rapid Method for Radiostrontium in Building Materials (EPA)

EPA Method: Rapid Radiochemical Method for Total Radiostrontium (Sr-90) in Building Materials for Environmental Remediation Following Radiological Incidents

Rapid Method for Isotopic Uranium in Building Materials (EPA)

EPA Method: Rapid Radiochemical Method for Isotopic Uranium in Building Materials for Environmental Remediation Following Radiological Incidents

Rapid Method for Plutonium in Building Materials (EPA)

EPA Method: Rapid Radiochemical Method for Plutonium-238 and Plutonium-239/240 in Building Materials for Environmental Remediation Following Radiological Incidents

Rapid Method for Americium in Building Materials (EPA)

EPA Method: Rapid Radiochemical Method for Americium-241 in Building Materials for Environmental Remediation Following Radiological Incidents

Rapid Method for Sodium Hydroxide Fusion of Limestone Matrices (EPA) EPA Method: Rapid Method for Sodium Hydroxide Fusion of Limestone Matrices Prior to Americium, Plutonium, Strontium, and Uranium Analyses for Environmental Remediation Following Radiological Incidents

Standard Operating Procedure for Actinides in Environmental Matrices (EPA)

EPA Method: NAREL Standard Operating Procedure for Actinides in Environmental Matrices by Extraction Chromatography

Consult your technical contact for access to this procedure

Am-01-RC (HASL-300)

EML HASL-300 Method Am-01-RC: Americium in Soil

Am-04-RC (HASL-300)

EML HASL-300 Method Am-04-RC: Americium in QAP Water and Air Filters - Eichrom's TRU Resin

Am-06-RC (HASL-300)

EML HASL-300 Method Am-06-RC: Americium and/or Plutonium in Vegetation

Ga-01-R (HASL-300)

EML HASL-300 Method Ga-01-R: Gamma Radioassay

Po-02-RC (HASL-300)

EML HASL-300 Method Po-02-RC: Polonium in Water, Vegetation, Soil, and Air Filters

Pu-12-RC (HASL-300)

EML HASL-300 Method Pu-12-RC: Plutonium and/or Americium in Soil or Sediments

Ra-03-RC (HASL-300)

EML HASL-300 Method Ra-03-RC: Radium-226 in Soil, Vegetable Ash, and Ion Exchange Resin

Sr-03-RC (HASL-300)

EML HASL-300 Method Sr-03-RC: Strontium-90 in Environmental Matrices

Tc-01-RC (HASL-300)

EML HASL-300 Method Tc-01-RC: Strontium-90 in Environmental Samples

Tc-02-RC (HASL-300)

EML HASL-300 Method Tc-02-RC: Technetium in Water - TEVA® Resin

U-02-RC (HASL-300)

EML HASL-300 Method U-02-RC: Isotopic Uranium in Biological and Environmental Samples

FRMAC, Vol 2, pg. 33 (DOE)

DOE FRMAC Method Volume 2, Page 33: Gross Alpha and Beta in Air

RESL P-2 (DOE)

DOE RESL Method P-2: 32P Fish, Vegetation, Dry Ash, Ion Exchange

Actinides and Sr-89/90 in Soil Samples (DOE SRS)

DOE SRS Method: Actinides and Sr-89/90 in Soil Samples

Actinides and Sr-89/90 in Vegetation (DOE SRS)

DOE SRS Method: Actinides and Sr-89/90 in Vegetation: Fusion Method

AP1 (ORISE)

ORISE Method AP-1: Gross Alpha and Beta for Various Matrices

AP2 (ORISE)

ORISE Method AP-2: Determination of Tritium

AP5 (ORISE)

ORISE Method AP-5: Determination of Technetium-99

AP7 (ORISE)

ORISE Method AP-7: Determination of Radium-226 in Water and Soil Samples Using Alpha Spectrometry

AP11 (ORISE)

ORISE Method AP-11: Sequential Determination of the Actinides in Environmental Samples Using Total Sample Dissolution and Extraction Chromatography

Procedure #9 (ORISE)

ORISE Method Procedure #9: Determination of I-125 in Environmental Samples

Preparation of Samples for Total Activity Screening (Y-12 DOE)

Y-12 DOE Method: Preparation of Samples for Total Activity Screening

The following links exit the site

Method ID

Method Title

D3084-20 (2020) (ASTM)

ASTM Method D3084-20 (2020): Standard Practice for Alpha Spectrometry in Water

D3972-09 (2015) (ASTM)

ASTM Method D3972-09 (2015): Standard Test Method for Isotopic Uranium in Water by Radiochemistry

D5811-20 (2020)  (ASTM)

ASTM Method D5811-20 (2020): Standard Test Method for Strontium-90 in Water

D7168-16 (ASTM)

ASTM Method D7168-05: Standard Test Method for Technetium-99 in Water by Solid Phase Extraction Disk

7110 B (SM)

Standard Method 7110 B: Gross Alpha and Gross Beta Radioactivity (Total, Suspended, and Dissolved)

7120 (SM)

Standard Method 7120: Gamma-Emitting Radionuclides

7500-Ra B (SM)

Standard Method 7500-Ra B: Radium: Precipitation Method

7500-Ra C (SM)

Standard Method 7500-Ra C: Radium: Emanation Method

7500-U B (SM)

Standard Method 7500-U B: Uranium: Radiochemical Method

7500-U C (SM)

Standard Method 7500-U C: Uranium: Isotopic Method

Determination of 225Ac in Water Samples (Eichrom)

Eichrom: Determination of 225Ac in Water Samples AN-2101
Determination of 225Ac in Geological Samples (Eichrom) Eichrom Technologies, LLC. "Determination of 225Ac in Geological Samples." AN-2102
Method for Radium-228 and Radium-226 in Drinking Water by Gamma-ray Spectrometry (GA Tech) Georgia Institute of Technology: Method for the Determination of Radium-228 and Radium-226 in Drinking Water by Gamma-ray Spectrometry Using HPGE or Ge(Li) Detectors

Environmental Sampling and Analytical Methods (ESAM) Program

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Last updated on December 31, 2024
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