Anti-Compton gamma spectrometry for environmental samples

The results of the low-level performance of an anti-Compton device are presented. The anti-coincidence action of the NaI detectors lowers the total background of the HPGe detector integrated on the energy range 30 keV to 2730 keV by a factor 8.1 and suppresses the continuum above 300 keV by a factor larger than 10. Qualitative and quantitative results on environmental samples are described to illustrate the improvement of uncertainties determination and the significant reduction of detection limits. This provides ever more accurate and precise data on natural and anthropogenic radionuclides often used as tracers for environmental studies