background radiation

  1. Radiation from any source other than the one it is desired to detect or measure.
    Source:
    PAC, 1994, 66, 2513 (Nomenclature for radioanalytical chemistry (IUPAC Recommendations 1994)) on page 2516
    Orange Book, p. 213
  2. Radiation which originates from the source and reaches the detector when no analyte is present.
    Source:
    PAC, 1985, 57, 1453 (Nomenclature, symbols, units and their usage in spectrochemical analysis - V: Radiation sources (Recommendations 1985)) on page 1462