SN1PLE OXIDATION FOR LIQUID SCINTILLATION COUNTING: A REVIEW

The liquid scintillation spectrometer is a versatile instrument for the measurement and analysis of low-energy beta emitters, especially hydrogen-3 (tritium) and carbon-14. On the other hand, biological materials as well as environ-mental samples are most difficult to prepare as true solu-tions for liquid scintillation counting and present unique problems in sample preparation. To overcome problems of sample solubility, quenching, and chemiluminescence, a more universal preparation technique can be achieved if the sample is burned at red heat in an atmosphere of oxygen and the car-bon and hydrogen converted into carbon dioxide and water and quantitatively dissolved in a scintillator to produce an un-quenched sample. A number of methods of oxidizing samples for liquid scintillation counting are discussed. Experi-mental studies using carbon-14 and tritium are presented and potential application to biological and environmental prob-lems are considered