Portable system for monitoring airborne radionuclides

A portable system for measuring airborne radionuclides from a target environment, the system being positionable in the target environment and comprising:

• a) a primary gas flowpath extending between a system gas inlet configured to draw in a gas sample and a system gas outlet downstream from the system gas inlet;
• b) a cartridge dock disposed in the primary gas flowpath and comprising a sample supply port in fluid communication downstream from the system gas inlet and an exhaust port in fluid communication upstream from the system gas outlet;
• c) at least a first filter cartridge connectable to the cartridge dock, the first filter cartridge comprising:
• i. a cartridge gas inlet sealingly connectable to the sample supply port;
• ii. a cartridge gas outlet sealingly connectable to the exhaust port;
• and
• iii. a cartridge flowpath extending between the cartridge gas inlet and the cartridge gas outlet, whereby connecting the first filter cartridge to the cartridge dock provides the fluid communication between the sample supply port and the exhaust port and completes the primary gas flowpath;
• iv. a first filter chamber disposed in the cartridge flowpath downstream from the cartridge gas inlet and housing a first filter;
• v. a second filter chamber disposed in the cartridge flowpath between first filter chamber and the cartridge gas outlet, and housing a second filter;
• d) a gamma detector apparatus that is positionable adjacent the first filter cartridge when the first filter cartridge is connected to the cartridge dock and is configured to detect radiation emitted from the first filter and to detect radiation emitted from the second filter, and to generate a sensor output signal in based on the detected radiation;
• and
• e) a system controller configured to receive the sensor output signal and generate a corresponding user output.