Instrumental neutron activation analysis using the k[sub O] standardization method

Conference · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1993 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States)

OSTI ID:5863311

Ratner, R T; Vernetson, W G ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Florida, Gainesville (United States)

The University of Florida Training Reactor (UFTR) is a light-water-cooled, graphite- and light-water-moderated, modified Argonaut-type reactor. The UFTR utilizes highly enriched plate-type fuel in a two-slab arrangement. Despite its relatively low power level (100 kW), the two-slab core configuration of the UFTR provides a peak thermal (subcadmium) flux of 2.3 x 10[sup 12] n/(cm[sup 2] x s). As a result, an important utilization of the UFTR is elemental analysis of various sample matrices using instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) to produce radioactive nuclides, whose disintegration characteristics are subsequently measured and used to identify and quantify elemental constituents in a variety of sample matrices ranging from complex soil media to pure silicon samples. Traditionally, the UFTR uses comparative INAA, where the analyzed sample is coirradiated with a multielement standard. Although this analytical procedure and the associated uncertainties are well characterized, the resources necessary for sample preparation, counting of irradiated samples, and subsequent data processing of the multielement standards are substantial. Therefore, an alternative standardized procedure is desirable, especially in a university environment, where a constant turnover of laboratory employees and students recommends additional correlation considerations for quality assurance on trace analyses. In this paper the authors present the application and successful development of the k[sub o] standardization method to the problem of routine trace element analysis at the UFTR.

• OSTI ID: 5863311
• Report Number(s): CONF-930601-; CODEN: TANSAO
• Journal Information: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States), Vol. 68; Conference: American Nuclear Society (ANS) annual meeting, San Diego, CA (United States), 20-24 Jun 1993; ISSN 0003-018X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
UFTR REACTOR
NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
STANDARDIZATION
CALIBRATION
QUALITY ASSURANCE
ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
ARGONAUT TYPE REACTORS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
IRRADIATION REACTORS
ISOTOPE PRODUCTION REACTORS
REACTORS
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
RESEARCH REACTORS
THERMAL REACTORS
TRAINING REACTORS
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
420500* - Engineering- Materials Testing
220600 - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Research
Test & Experimental Reactors