Scintillation Counter

Model Tri – Carb 2800TR, PerkinElmer, USA

The scintillation counter is a benchtop computer controlled liquid analyser used for measuring small amounts of beta, gamma and alpha radioactivity. The Tri-Carb model has the advantages such as improved sample changer and internal electronics. The instrument is externally connected with PC controller that is mounted on the ergonomic arm that has built in monitor. This also has a special advantage including Ethernet facility, access for USB drives and also DVD drive. The counter helps in measuring the ionizing radiations. This is done by converting single photon of high energy radiations to number of low-energy photons. The original photon’s energy can be measured using the intensity of the flash (i.e. number of photons that are produced by the x-ray or gamma photon). When charged particle strikes the scintillator, flash light is produced. Each charged particle produces flash. The scintillator used in the instrument is Cesium iodide (CsI) that is in the crystalline form. This helps in detection of protons and alpha particles; sodium iodide (NaI) is used for detecting gamma waves. The voltage pulse is formed in the counter is amplified and is recorded by the electronic counter.

The counters are now widely used in the market for various applications including basic academic and pharmaceutical research, environmental and nuclear power applications. The liquid scintillation counter is also used in many applications such as detection of radioactive contamination, epigenetics, cellular research, cancer research, ELISA alternative technologies, in vivo technologies, to detect protein: protein interactions, screening technologies, scintillation counting, etc.