Multielement determination in water by instrumental neutron activation analysis

Abstract

Instrumental neutron activation analysis /INAA/ technique has been applied to a water sample to determine the elemental concentrations. The sample was irradiated with a neutron flux of 1.2×10¹² n cm⁻² s⁻¹ for two different periods followed by counting at three different decay times, using two coaxial type high-resolution Ge/Li/ detectors. The dominant elements determined in the water sample are Ca, Cl, Na, Mg, and K present in ppm-level while Co, I, Mn, Sm, and Sb are present in smaller amounts, approximately on the average 0.01 ppm. Only traces of other elements such as the rare-earth elements, Ag, As, Ba, Cu, Cd, Fe, Sr, W, Zn, seem to be present in the water sample.