Neutron activation analysis applications

Tjioe, P.S., de Goeij, J.J.M.,Houtman, J.P.W. (1977). Extended automated separation techniques in destructive neutron activation analysis application to various biological materials, including human tissues and blood, J. Radioanal. Chem., 35, 511-522. 

Stover, T. and Lamaze, G. (2005). Compton suppression for neutron activation analysis applications at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Nucl. Instr. Meth. Phys. Res., B, 241, 223-227. 

A. Harrison, AnalChem 41 (1969), 1396 8) V. Guinn et al, Applications of Neutron Activation Analysis in Scientific Crime Investigations , Gulf General Atomic Corp Rept GA-9807 (1970) 9) K. Pillay et al, Nuclear... 

Byrne AR 1993) Review of neutron activation analysis in the standardization and study of ref erence materials including its application to radionuclide reference materials. Fresenius J Anal Chem 345 144-151. 

This section contains further two typical certification applications and a table presenting selected examples for environmental and biological RMs from major producers. This is followed by a more detailed treatment of the use of neutron activation analysis methods. 

Neutron activation analysis (NAA) is a supreme technique for elemental analysis (Section 8.6.1). Other nuclear analytical techniques, such as PIXE (Section 8.4.2) and RBS, also find application in investigations of diffusion processes [445]. 

Harbottle, G. (1990), Neutron activation analysis in archaelogical chemistry, in Yoshihara, K. (ed.), Chemical Applications of Nuclear Probes, Topics in Current Chemistry, Springer, Berlin, Vol. 157, 57-91. 

Calcium-selective electrodes have long been in use for the estimation of calcium concentrations - early applications included their use in complexometric titrations, especially of calcium in the presence of magnesium (42). Subsequently they have found use in a variety of systems, particularly for determining stability constants. Examples include determinations for ligands such as chloride, nitrate, acetate, and malonate (mal) (43), several diazacrown ethers (44,45), and methyl aldofuranosides (46). Other applications have included the estimation of Ca2+ levels in blood plasma (47) and in human hair (where the results compared satisfactorily with those from neutron activation analysis) (48). Ion-selective electrodes based on carboxylic polyether ionophores are mentioned in Section IV.B below. Though calcium-selective electrodes are convenient they are not particularly sensitive, and have slow response times. 

Iieser et al. [628] studied the application of neutron activation analysis to the determination of trace elements in seawater. The rare earths included in this study were cerium and europium. The element concerned were adsorbed onto charcoal. Between 75% and 100% of the elements were adsorbed onto the charcoal which was then subjected to analysis by neutron activation analysis. Cerium (300 p,g/l) and europium (0.00082 pg/1) were found in North Sea water by this method. 

Table 5.11. Application of neutron activation analysis to the determination of metals in seawater... 

It was not until the application of neutron activation analysis (NAA) that the problem of overlapping sources could be tackled. NAA is a highly sensitive and essentially non-destructive technique, although samples have to be taken which remain radioactive for some time after analysis. The use of NAA in characterizing obsidian was first demonstrated in the early 1970s (Aspinall... 

Allen, R.O., Luckenbach, A.H. and Holland, C.G. (1975). The application of instrumental neutron activation analysis to a study of prehistoric steatite artifacts and source material. Archaeometry 17 69-83. 

Bakraji, E. H., Othman, I., Sarhil, A., and Al-Somel, N. (2002). Application of instrumental neutron activation analysis and multivariate statistical methods to archaeological Syrian ceramics. Journal of Trace and Microprobe Techniques 20 57-68. 

An introductory manual that explains the basic concepts of chemistry behind scientific analytical techniques and that reviews their application to archaeology. It explains key terminology, outlines the procedures to be followed in order to produce good data, and describes the function of the basic instrumentation required to carry out those procedures. The manual contains chapters on the basic chemistry and physics necessary to understand the techniques used in analytical chemistry, with more detailed chapters on atomic absorption, inductively coupled plasma emission spectroscopy, neutron activation analysis, X-ray fluorescence, electron microscopy, infrared and Raman spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry. Each chapter describes the operation of the instruments, some hints on the practicalities, and a review of the application of the technique to archaeology, including some case studies. With guides to further reading on the topic, it is an essential tool for practitioners, researchers, and advanced students alike. 

An application of neutron activation analysis for the determination of inorganic ions in LB multilayers was reported. A special technique for the removal of... 

The isotope cahfomium-252 undergoes spontaneous fission generating neutrons. It serves as a convenient source of neutrons for neutron activation analysis, neutron moisture gages, and in the determination of water and oilbearing layers in well-logging. It is expected to have many other potential applications, including synthesis of other heavy isotopes. 

Ruthenium and its compounds are analyzed by flame AA method using nitrous oxide-acetylene flame. ICP-AES, ICP/MS, and neutron activation analysis are also applicable. The metal or its insoluble compounds may be solubilized by fusion with alkah and leached with water. 

Tungsten may be analyzed by flame AA and ICP-AES. For sucb analyses, tbe metal, its compounds, or alloys are solubilized by digestion with aqua regia, nitric acid-perchloric acid, or other acid combinations and diluted. Other instrumental techniques such as x-ray fluorescence and neutron activation analysis also are applicable. 

The metal can he analyzed hy lame-AA and ICP-AES methods. Ytterbium or its compounds are dissolved by acid digestion and diluted before such analysis. X-ray methods and neutron activation analysis are also applicable. 

Recently, Heydom has dealt extensively with the various aspects of the application of NAA to the analysis of biological materials. The usefulness of neutron activation analysis for the determination of protein-boxmd elements in human serum has been demonstrated by Woittiez... 

The most frequently applied analytical methods used for characterizing bulk and layered systems (wafers and layers for microelectronics see the example in the schematic on the right-hand side) are summarized in Figure 9.4. Besides mass spectrometric techniques there are a multitude of alternative powerful analytical techniques for characterizing such multi-layered systems. The analytical methods used for determining trace and ultratrace elements in, for example, high purity materials for microelectronic applications include AAS (atomic absorption spectrometry), XRF (X-ray fluorescence analysis), ICP-OES (optical emission spectroscopy with inductively coupled plasma), NAA (neutron activation analysis) and others. For the characterization of layered systems or for the determination of surface contamination, XPS (X-ray photon electron spectroscopy), SEM-EDX (secondary electron microscopy combined with energy disperse X-ray analysis) and... 

Califomium-252 is an intense neutron source. One gram emits 2.4 x 1012 neutrons per second. This isotope shows promise for applications in neutron activation analysis, neutron radiography, and as a portable source for field use in mineral prospecting and oil well logging. 

Until now, little attention has been given to the analysis of ancient copper alloys with LA-ICP-MS. This type of material is usually analyzed with fast or instrumental neutron activation analysis (FNAA or INAA), particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry or inductively coupled plasma-atomic absorption spectrometry (ICP-AES or ICP-AAS). Some of these techniques are destructive and involve extensive sample preparation, some measure only surface compositions, and some require access to a cyclotron or a reactor. LA-ICP-MS is riot affected by any of these inconveniences. We propose here an analytical protocol for copper alloys using LA-ICP-MS and present its application to the study of Matisse bronze sculptures. 

Bromine-82 has a half-life of about 36 hours this is not sufficient for the isotope to be used conveniently in tracer work especially if labelled reagents have first to be prepared and purified. Low concentrations of bromine in small specimens of organic materials, such as polymers, can be determined by the method of neutron activation analysis (2). The various substances are prepared using ordinary bromine and then samples are bombarded with thermal neutrons so that the nuclear reaction 81Br(n, y)82Br occurs. Activity is therefore induced in the samples comparison with standards treated similarly permits determination of the bromine contents of the unknowns. For this technique to be applicable, it is necessary to have access to a powerful source of thermal neutrons. Neutron activation analysis can be used for the determination of very low concentrations of many elements and its general features have been fully discussed (3). 

Cunningham WC, Stroube WB Jr. 1987. Application of an instrumental neutron activation analysis procedure to analysis of food. Sci Total Environ 63 29-43. 

Neutron Activation Spectrometry. Another instrumental technique which has applicability to a wide range of elements is neutron activation analysis. In this method the sample (which could be orange juice without any prior sample treatment) is irradiated with a strong neutron flux. The elements of analytical interest are thus converted to unstable isotopes which decay with characteristic energies and thus measurement of the intensities results in analytical values for the elements of interest. There are some serious drawbacks to this method, however. The matrix can cause severe background effects especially when the sample contains large amounts of an element, like potassium, which is the situation with orange juice. In this event tedious chemical separations must be carried out to achieve adequate selectivity, accuracy... 

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