Validation of Tritium Calibration Curve in CIEMAT/NIST Activity Measurement Using Non Linear Least Squared Fittings and Calculations of the Half-Life and Decay Constant of Potassium-40
Keywords:
CIEMAT/NIST method, Liquid Scintillation Counting, Least Square Fit Analysis, Tracer Calibration CurveAbstract
Non-linear curve fitting of tracer efficiency is one of the uncertainty contributors in CIEMAT/NIST method for specific activity measurement and half-life evaluation of radionuclide. This study applied least squared fitting of four different polynomials to validate the tracer efficiency calibration curve for the specific activity measurements of nine Potassium Chloride samples from which half-life and decay constants were computed. All samples were measured using TR1000 Liquid Scintillation Counter and the results of the relative standard uncertainties in tracer interpolated efficiencies associated with the least square fit analysis were found to be 8.363%, 8.076%, 7.941% and 8.767% for polynomials of n = 2, n = 3, n = 4 and n = 5, respectively. The corresponding values of 40 K specific activity, from the application of empirical efficiencies generated with these polynomials were found to be (16.541, 16.540, 16.537 and 16.548) Bq/g respectively. From these measured specific activity values, the computed half-life and decay constants were found to be (1.2518, 1.2519, 1.2521 and 1.2513) ×109 y (for n = 2, n = 3, n = 4, and n = 5), respectively, and (5.365, 5.5364, 5.5354 and 5.5391) ×10-10 y-1 respectively. All values were found to be in good agreement with results of other literatures. However to minimize uncertainty associated with empirically generated tracer interpolation efficiencies, least squared fit analysis of tracer calibration curve should be done, with control trials using different polynomials so as to obtain the best fit.
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
Copyright (c) 2022 S. Adams, E. Joseph, G. Kamal

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
How to Cite
Similar Articles
- Folake Lois Joseph, Adeyemi Sunday Olagunju, Emmanuel Oluseye Adeyefa, Adewale Adeyemi James, Hybrid Block Methods with Constructed Orthogonal Basis for Solution of Third-Order Ordinary Differential Equations , Journal of the Nigerian Society of Physical Sciences: Volume 5, Issue 1, February 2023
- Monika Saini, Ashish Kumar, Fuzzy semi-Markovian stochastic model for single-unit system with repairman arrival delay under Lindley lifetime distribution using bell-shaped membership function , Journal of the Nigerian Society of Physical Sciences: Volume 8, Issue 3, August 2026
- Monika Saini, Ashish Kumar, Vijay Singh Maan, Deepak Sinwar, Efficient and Intelligent Decision Support System for Smart Irrigation , Journal of the Nigerian Society of Physical Sciences: Volume 4, Issue 4, November 2022
- Daniel B. Tsado, Muhammed M. Ndamitso, Yahaya A. Iyaka, John O. Jacob, Saheed Mustapha, Green synthesis of gold nanoparticles using Telfairia occidentalis leaf extract and evaluation of their antioxidant activity for possible industrial applications , Journal of the Nigerian Society of Physical Sciences: Volume 8, Issue 4, November 2026 (in progress)
- Christian N. Nwaeme, Adewale F. Lukman, Robust hybrid algorithms for regularization and variable selection in QSAR studies , Journal of the Nigerian Society of Physical Sciences: Volume 5, Issue 4, November 2023
- M. O. Ogunniran, A Class of Block Multi-derivative Numerical Techniques for Singular Advection Equations , Journal of the Nigerian Society of Physical Sciences: Volume 1, Issue 2, May 2019
- Raja Aqib Shamim, Majid Khan Majahar Ali, Mohamed Farouk Haashir bin Hamdullah, Computational optimization of auctioneer revenue in modified discrete Dutch auctions with cara risk preferences , Journal of the Nigerian Society of Physical Sciences: Volume 8, Issue 1, February 2026
- C. A. Oyelami, W. Akande, T. O. Kolawole, A Preliminary Geotechnical Assessment of Residual Tropical Soils around Osogbo Metropolis as Materials for Road Subgrade , Journal of the Nigerian Society of Physical Sciences: Volume 4, Issue 2, May 2022
- P. A. Ejegwa, I. C. Onyeke, B. T. Terhemen, M. P. Onoja, A. Ogiji, C. U. Opeh, Modified Szmidt and Kacprzyk’s Intuitionistic Fuzzy Distances and their Applications in Decision-making , Journal of the Nigerian Society of Physical Sciences: Volume 4, Issue 2, May 2022
- Vaishali Manish Joshi, Javid Gani Dar, A novel parametric intuitionistic fuzzy entropy measure with applications to image edge detection , Journal of the Nigerian Society of Physical Sciences: Volume 8, Issue 3, August 2026
You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.

