Removal of 222Rn daughters from metal surfaces.

Removal of the long-lived 222Rn daughters (210Pb, 210Bi and 210Po) from copper, stainless steel and germanium surfaces was investigated. As cleaning techniques etching and electro-polishing was applied to samples in a form of discs exposed earlier to a strong radon source. Reduction of the 210Pb activity was tested using a HPGe spectrometer, for 210Bi a beta spectrometer and for 210Po an alpha spectrometer was used. According to the conducted measurements electropolishing was always more efficient compared to etching and in case of copper the activity reduction factors for 210Pb, 210Bi and 210Po were between 200 and 400. Etching does not remove 210Po from copper but works very efficiently from germanium. Results obtained for 210Pb and 210Bi for etched stainless steel were worse but still slightly better than those achieved for copper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]