Determination of the Iodine-131 Content of the Atmosphere (Particulate Filter Charcoal Gamma)

Radioactive iodine may be released to the atmosphere in the elemental state as I₂, in an inorganic combined state as HOI or CsI or in an organically combined state as CH₃I. All except CsI may be present in the vapor form or may be in part attached to particles. CsI would be expected to be present in a dissolved aqueous state following core damage at a water-cooled reactor and could be discharged to the atmosphere entrained in released steam, which then would condense into a particulate form. Thus, sampling for radioiodines in the atmosphere presents a unique problem.