Absolute instrumental neutron activation analysis at Lawrence Livermore Laboratory

Conference · Wed Dec 21 04:00:00 EST 1977

OSTI ID:5229790

Heft, R E

The Environmental Science Division at Lawrence Livermore Laboratory has in use a system of absolute Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA). Basically, absolute INAA is dependent upon the absolute measurement of the disintegration rates of the nuclides produced by neutron capture. From such disintegration rate data, the amount of the target element present in the irradiated sample is calculated by dividing the observed disintegration rate for each nuclide by the expected value for the disintegration rate per microgram of the target element that produced the nuclide. In absolute INAA, the expected value for disintegration rate per microgram is calculated from nuclear parameters and from measured values of both thermal and epithermal neutron fluxes which were present during irradiation. Absolute INAA does not depend on the concurrent irradiation of elemental standards but does depend on the values for thermal and epithermal neutron capture cross-sections for the target nuclides. A description of the analytical method is presented.

• Research Organization: California Univ., Livermore (USA). Lawrence Livermore Lab.
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 5229790
• Report Number(s): UCRL-80476; CONF-771072-4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400101* -- Activation
Nuclear Reaction
Radiometric & Radiochemical Procedures
ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
CALCULATION METHODS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
DESIGN
GAMMA SPECTROMETERS
IRRADIATION
LAWRENCE LIVERMORE LABORATORY
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYZERS
SPECTROMETERS
US AEC
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS