Activation analysis in the environment: Science and technology

Conference · Wed Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1989 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (USA)

OSTI ID:6816730

Lenihan, J ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Glasgow (Scotland)

Science is disciplined curiosity. Activation analysis was created more than 50 yr ago by Hevesy's curiosity and Levi's experimental skill. Technology is the exploitation of machines and materials for the fulfillment of human needs or wants. The early history of neutron activation analysis (NAA) was greatly influenced by military requirements. Since then the technique has found applications in many disciplines, including materials science, medicine, archaeology, geochemistry, agriculture, and forensic science. More recently, neutron activation analysts, responding to increasing public interest and concern, have made distinctive contributions to the study of environmental problems. Activation analysis, though it uses some procedures derived from physics, is essentially a chemical technique. The chemical study of the environment may be reviewed under many headings; three are discussed here: 1. occupational medicine 2. health of the general public 3. environmental pollution.

• OSTI ID: 6816730
• Report Number(s): CONF-891103-; CODEN: TANSA; TRN: 90-022360
• Journal Information: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (USA), Vol. 60; Conference: Winter meeting of the American Nuclear Society (ANS) and nuclear power and technology exhibit, San Francisco, CA (USA), 26-30 Nov 1989; ISSN 0003-018X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
TECHNOLOGY UTILIZATION
AEROSOLS
DATA PROCESSING
DESIGN
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
ENVIRONMENTAL MATERIALS
EPIDEMIOLOGY
MERCURY
POLLUTION
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
TOXIC MATERIALS
UPTAKE
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
ELEMENTS
MATERIALS
METALS
PROCESSING
SOLS
400101* - Activation
Nuclear Reaction
Radiometric & Radiochemical Procedures