Background: There are three methods for determination of 210Pb radioactivity concentration in environmental water.One is detecting rays of 210Bi guided by the EJT 859-1994

one is detecting rays of 210Po for 210Pb radioactivity

and the other is using gamma ray spectrometer to determinate the radioactivity of210Pb.But the first method can not give an exact recovery rate of210Pb

the second one is a time-consuming process

and the third one is unable to detect 210Pb in water samples because of its detection limit.This paper describes a method of rapid determination of 210Pb in environmental water with the anion exchange.Purpose: To determine the radioactivity of 210Pb in water samples rapidly.Methods: The stable Pb carrier is added to the water samples for the recovery rate in the chemical and physical process.210Pb and Pb carrier in the water samples are adsorbed and concentrated by Fe(OH)3co-precipitation undergoing heating.210Pb and its carrier are isolated from most interference by an anion exchange.The PbSO4 precipitation has been purified via being precipitated for three times.The PbSO4 precipitation has been stored in the environmental temperature for one month.And then

the rays of 210Bi and the daughter of 210Pb are detected to determine the radioactivity concentration of 210Pb.Results: This method provides a stable and reliable result and costs less time than the method that detects rays of 210Po for 210Pb radioactivity.Conclusions: The method for rapid determination of 210Pb is a practical and reliable method and used to analyze water samples in Yunnan province.