Application of low-level counting techniques for the investigation of the impact of uranium mining as well as remediation on the environment

A chamber with a shield of steel and lead of a total surface density of 365 g cm−2 for low-level measurements has been installed within a cave at an old brewery named ‘Felsenkeller’ in the Weisseritz-valley near Dresden. In the 45 m deep underground laboratory 98% of cosmic muons are shielded by the rock. Low detection limits are necessary for the measurement of different kinds of water and biological samples. The use of γ-spectrometry reduces the need for complex chemical separation procedures.