Hairs, criminals, moonrocks, metals diseases, polluters! Where next for nuclear analytical chemistry?

Abstract

Nuclear methods of analysis have advanced dramatically in recent years, and in many ways, techniques that once were viewed as a scientific curiosity and the toys of a few scientists working in large nuclear research establishments, are now semi-routine and can be applied even by young students. Large amounts of good analytical data are outputted from instruments having sophisticated embedded software. It is interesting to speculate on the directions that nuclear analytical techniques may take next: whether more multielement; more automation for vastly larger sample suites; extension to minor and major components of samples as well as trace components; coupling of nuclear methods to hyphenated methods. However, in some respects the resources needed to continue to develop and apply radioanalytical methods are on the wane: reactors and accelerators are being closed and fewer radiochemical specialists are being trained. The open question, is whether instrumental analysis techniques will offer more and better results with less effort, or be less equipment intensive? In this paper some personal reflections on nuclear actcivation methods and their trends are presented and discussed. Some mileposts in the development of the field and some unique and interesting applications (as implied by the paper title) are cited and discussed.