This document specifies the identification and the measurement of the activity in soils of a large number of gamma-emitting radionuclides using gamma spectrometry. This non-destructive method, applicable to large-volume samples (up to about 3 l), covers the determination in a single measurement of all the ?-emitters present for which the photon energy is between 5 keV and 3 MeV.


Generic test method and fundamentals using gamma-ray spectrometry are described in ISO 20042.


This document can be applied by test laboratories performing routine radioactivity measurements as a majority of gamma-emitting radionuclides is characterized by gamma-ray emission between 40 keV and 2 MeV.


The method can be implemented using a germanium or other type of detector with a resolution better than 5 keV.


This document addresses methods and practices for determining gamma-emitting radionuclides activity present in soil, including rock from bedrock and ore, construction materials and products, pottery, etc. This includes such soils ...