ISO 13165-3:2016 specifies the determination of radium-226 (226Ra) activity concentration in all types of water by coprecipitation followed by gamma-spectrometry (see ISO 18589-3).
The method described is suitable for determination of soluble 226Ra activity concentrations greater than 0,02 Bq l-1 using a sample volume of 1 l to 100 l of any water type.
For water samples smaller than a volume of 1 l, direct gamma-spectrometry can be performed following ISO 10703 with a higher detection limit.
NOTE This test method also allows other isotopes of radium, 223Ra, 224Ra, and 228Ra, to be determined.