Neutron activation analysis is 60 years old: Is it time for retirement?

Journal Article · Tue Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1996 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society

OSTI ID:436860

de Goeij, J J.M. ^[1]

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1. Interfaculty Reactor Inst., Delft (Netherlands)

In the past 60 yr, NAA (neutron activation analysis) has become an outstanding analytical technique for quite a few elements. In earlier days, radiochemical NAA (RNAA) with postirradiation radiochemical separations was the dominant version. In the last 25 yr, after introduction of high-resolution germanium semiconductor detectors in combination with sophisticated electronics and software, instrumental NAA (INAA) became the predominant version. The characteristic features of NAA are (a) multielement capability; (b) generally good selectivity; (c) low determination limits for quite a few elements; (d) no effect of the chemical state of the analyte; (e) relatively small matrix effects; (f) absence or minimization of the blank value; (g) simple calibration; (h) analysis of samples up to kilograms, physically independent method compared to other trace-element techniques; and (h) easily definable sources of systematic or random errors.

• OSTI ID: 436860
• Report Number(s): CONF-9606116--
• Journal Information: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society Vol. 74; ISSN TANSAO; ISSN 0003-018X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES
40 CHEMISTRY
ENVIRONMENTAL MATERIALS
ERRORS
MULTI-ELEMENT ANALYSIS
NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
RESOLUTION
SEMICONDUCTOR DETECTORS
TRACE AMOUNTS