Lead-210 in environmental samples –a review on the status and progress on its determination

Abstract

Lead-210 (²¹⁰Pb) is an integral component of the uranium-238 decay series and distributed throughout the environment. The interest for determining ²¹⁰Pb comes from many tracer applications of the radionuclide, where one of the most useful applications is sediment dating. Meanwhile, the radiation risk through internal exposure is another concern due to its high radiotoxic daughters. The conventional approaches for ²¹⁰Pb quantification have relied upon radiometric methods, an interest in using mass spectrometry for its measurement has been increased in the recent years. This article aims to present a critical review on different aspects for the determination of ²¹⁰Pb, including preconcentration and separation of lead from environmental samples, followed by a comparison of the conventional radiometric methods to the mass spectrometry for its measurement.