Zusammenfassung
The worldwide population of elephants shows a rapid decline due to trafficking of ivory. Hence, a method is needed for the age determination to distinguish legal from illegal ivory. The analysis of Th-228 and Th-232 in ivory can be used for this purpose. This study provides a technique for the analysis of Th-228 in ivory. The thorium was extracted from ivory and measured after various time ...
Zusammenfassung
The worldwide population of elephants shows a rapid decline due to trafficking of ivory. Hence, a method is needed for the age determination to distinguish legal from illegal ivory. The analysis of Th-228 and Th-232 in ivory can be used for this purpose. This study provides a technique for the analysis of Th-228 in ivory. The thorium was extracted from ivory and measured after various time periods applying -spectrometry until a secular radioactive equilibrium between Th-228 and its decay products was established. An equilibration period of 32days was found. The uncertainty of the determination of the activity of Th-228 could be reduced by integrating the counts of the equilibrated decay products into the determination process.
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