Measuring low concentrations of 234Th in water and sediment

234Th/238U disequilibria have been used extensively in studies of particle dynamics and the fate and transport of particle-reactive matter in marine environments. Similar work in low salinity, estuarine, and freshwater systems has not occurred primarily because the lower concentrations of both parent and daughter nuclides that are typical of these systems often render established methods for the analysis of 234Th inadequate. The application of this radionuclide tracer technique to these systems, however, has great potential. To this end, we present a method for measuring low activities of 234Th in relatively small samples (<200 l) using low background gas-flow proportional counters, a 229Th yield monitor, and empirical corrections for the interferences from real and apparent betas that are emitted by other thorium isotopes and their progeny. For samples with low 234Th/228Th activity ratios, we improve upon current beta counting methodologies that rely on immediate sample counting, weak beta absorption, or multiple beta counts so that, using the analytical approach outlined here, it should be possible to measure 234Th activities (i) as low as 1.5 dpm/total sample, (ii) up to 2 weeks after radiochemical purification of thorium, and (iii) with only one sample count for alpha and beta activity.