STUDY ON QUENCHING EFFECTS FOR 14C AND 3H MEASUREMENT PARAMETERS USING A QUANTULUS SPECTROMETER

ABSTRACT. Results of 3H and 14C standard solution measurement using a Quantulus spectrometer are described. Nine var-ious scintillation cocktails (7 commercially available and 2 prepared by dissolution of organic scintillators in benzene or tol-uene) were studied, using 2 types of scintillation vials (high-performance glass and low-diffusion polyethylene). Dependence of parameters such as count rate, efficiency, and figure of merit on the composition and volume of cocktail, SQP value, and quenching agent (CCl4) addition were investigated. We conclude that the best results in these conditions can be obtained using cocktails like Insta Fluor, Permablend dissolved in toluene, and especially butyl-PBD in benzene. The low-diffusion PE vials yielded better performance values than the low-potassium glass vials