The
commercial Hidex LSC system has been used to measure triple to double
coincidence ratio (TDCR), experimental counting efficiency (CE) and the
absolute activity for radioactive standards of pure beta emitters viz. 3H, 63Ni and 55Fe, an electron capture nuclide. Colour and chemical quench measurements of 63Ni and 55Fe
have been done. An excellent match between TDCR and CE has been
obtained for beta emitters, while very large deviations have been
observed for 55Fe. The deviation between TDCR and
experimental efficiency has been found to be nearly uniform. Based on
this, an empirical correction factor for TDCR which gives the correct
efficiency has been evaluated, to enable efficient application of this
commercial instrument for 55Fe estimation. These TDCR correction factors were further validated by applying for 55Fe activity measurements in ASTM standard steel samples irradiated to a fixed neutron flux in research reactor CIRUS. Finally, 55Fe activity in steel sample from APSARA reactor decommissioning waste was successfully estimated using this modified TDCR.