Chemical characterization of materials is the most important step of chemical quality control (CQC) and conventional wet chemical as well as spectrochemical techniques are routinely used for this purpose. But these techniques need chemical dissolution of samples, which is tedious and needs special care in many cases while dealing trace and sub-trace elements as it is not free from reagent blanks. Besides, solid samples like metals and alloys, glass and ceramics that are difficult for chemical dissolution need to be analyzed by suitable non-destructive methods and capable of simultaneous multielement determination at major to sub-trace concentration levels. Nuclear Analytical Techniques (NATs) meet these requirements. Horizons of NATs expanded by leaps and bounds with the availability of nuclear reactors, particle accelerators, rapid development in semiconductors & electronics and hand-held devices. NATs find applications in all branches of science and technology due to their properties like simultaneous multielement capability, inherent accuracy, precision and selectivity. Neutron and proton based techniques in conjunction with high resolution gamma-ray spectrometry are capable of determining almost all the elements from hydrogen to uranium. NATs can also be effectively employed for non-destructive determination of trans-uranium elements. Techniques like activation analysis using neutrons (NAA and PGNAA), charge particles like proton and alpha (CPAA) and photon (PAA), ion beam analysis (PIXE, PIGE, RBS and NRA) and X-ray Fluorescence (XRF, EDXRF and TXRF) are extensively used in various R&D programs as well as for material characterization in nuclear technology. Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), India is one of the leaders in developing and deploying NATs using neutrons, charge particles and photons as well as γ-ray spectrometry and neutron well coincidence counting (NWCC) for characterization of materials often non-destructively that are important for nuclear technology.

In view of continuous developments, it is appropriate to periodically review the progress made and evolve strategies to identify further areas of development and unique applications of radiotracers, radiations, and NATs. This prompted for the organization of symposia series on Nuclear Analytical Chemistry (NAC). The NAC-I, NAC-II and NAC-III symposia were held in Canada by Prof. A. Chatt. The NAC-IV symposium was organized at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai during November 15–19, 2010. The Fifth Symposium on Nuclear Analytical Chemistry (NAC-V) was organized at BARC during January 20–24, 2014. It was sponsored by the Board of Research in Nuclear Sciences (BRNS), Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), India. NAC-V was organized in cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and co-organized by the Indian Association of Nuclear Chemists and Allied Scientists (IANCAS). More than 300 delegates including 18 scientists from abroad (Austria, Canada, Czech Republic, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Russia, Slovenia, South Korea, Thailand, UK, and USA) participated in NAC-V.

The NAC-V symposium was inaugurated by Shri Sekhar Basu, Director, BARC as the Chief Guest. Dr. D.B. Mohamad, IAEA was the Guest of Honour in Inaugural Function. It was followed by two plenary talks by (i) Dr. D.B. Mohamad, Deputy Director General, IAEA and (ii) Dr. B. Sur, Director, Nuclear Sciences Division, AECL, Canada. A one-day technical programme of NAC-V was conducted in K.C. College Arts, Science and Commerce, Mumbai on January 22, 2014 as a part of its Diamond Jubilee celebrations as well as to provide an opportunity to faculties, research scholars and students to participate and interact with the experts. Dr. R.K. Sinha, Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) and Secretary, DAE, Government of India and Shri S.G. Markandeya, Ex-Controller of BARC and Scientific Secretary, BRNS, DAE were Chief Guest and Guest of Honour, respectively, at the one day program in K. C. College.

A large number of contributions were received from abroad and Indian academic Institutes and DAE Units. Besides two plenary talks, the Technical Program comprised of 25 invited talks and 10 invited short talks by experts in the field. The names of invited speakers were: Profs/Drs. A. V. R. Reddy, Amar Sinha, H. Naik, B. L. Ahuja, S. N. Jha, Alok Srivastava, Y. Nagame, H. Haba, C. R. Venkatasubramani, A. Chatt, S. Basu, T. Ohtsuki, A. Dash, H. J. Pant, A. K. Pandey, S. K. Aggarwal, J. Cantle, K. S. Pradeepkumar, R. R. Greenberg, B. Smodis, R. S. Dybczynski, S. C. Dash, B. S. Tomar, Hemlata K Bagla and R. Acharya, and invited short talk speakers were: Drs. G. M. Sun, T. Das, M. Fukushima, K. Takamiya, R. K. Dutta, S. Pavelka, M. Mohaptra, P. Sola and S. K. Sahoo. Contributed papers (240) were part of 15 technical sessions as oral and poster presentations. The scope of NAC-V is reflected in the number of abstracts accepted in each category: (i) 21 in conventional and prompt gamma-ray activation analysis; (ii) 33 in alpha, X-ray and gamma-ray spectrometry; (iii) 16 in ion beam analysis; (iv) 46 in analytical chemistry in nuclear technology; (v) 11 in solid state nuclear track techniques; (vi) 33 in radioisotope production and applications; (vii) 9 in actinide and trace element speciation studies; (viii) 58 in environmental radioactivity; (ix) 5 in nuclear forensics and safety; and (x) 8 in QA/QC and uncertainty in measurements. Organizers presented 20 IANCAS awards for the best poster and oral paper presentations to young academics, scientists and research students. Three photographs of NAC-V are given in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

Fig. 1
figure 1

Inaugural function of NAC-V symposium and release of book of abstracts: (Standing from right to left) Dr. A. V. R. Reddy (Convener and Head, ACD, BARC), Dr. K. L. Ramakumar (Chairman and Director, RC&I Group, BARC), Shri Shekhar Basu (Director, BARC), Dr. Daud B. Mohamad (Deputy Director General, IAEA), Prof. A. Chatt (Co-Chairman, Technical Committee, Dalhousie University), Dr. R. Acharya (Secretary and Scientific Officer, RCD, BARC)

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Fig. 2
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Group photo of NAC-V participants

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Fig. 3
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Inauguration of one-day technical program of NAC-V at K. C. College, Mumbai: (Sitting from right to left) Dr. R. Acharya (Secretary), Dr. K. L. Ramakumar (Chairman), Dr. (Mrs) Manju Nichani (Principal, K. C. College), Dr. S. G. Markandeya (Former Controller, BARC), Dr. R. K. Sinha (Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission and Secretary, Department of atomic Energy, Government of India), Mr. Niranjan Hiranandani (President, H(S) N C Board), Dr. A. V. R. Reddy (Convener), Dr. Hemlata K. Bagla (Vice Principal, K C College and Local Convener)

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We received continuous support and guidance from authorities which enabled us to organize NAC-V. We profusely thank Dr. R. K. Sinha, Chairman, AEC for providing guidance and encouragement for organizing this symposium as Chairman of the Advisory Committee and giving a message. We are grateful to Shri Sekhar Basu, Director, BARC for his guidance and support and also for Inaugurating NAC-V as well as giving a message. We thank Prof. P. Rama Rao, Chairman, Board of Research in Nuclear Sciences (BRNS), DAE for his encouragement. The organizers thank BRNS, DAE and IAEA for financial support. IANCAS is synonymous with the organization of symposia related to nuclear and radiochemistry in India, and we thank IANCAS for co-organizing NAC-V. Support and co-operation of Dr. K. L. Ramakumar, Director of Radiochemistry and Isotope Group, BARC as well as Chairman of the NAC-V Organizing Committee is gratefully acknowledged. We thank Dr. B. N. Jagatap, Director of the Chemistry Group and Dr. S. K. Aggarwal, Associate Director of the RC&I Group, BARC for their constant support. Thanks are due to Shri S. G. Markandeya, Former Scientific Secretary of BRNS and Ex-Controller of BARC for his keen interest in this symposium. We take this opportunity to thank Prof. A. Chatt of Dalhousie University, Canada and Co-Chairman of the Technical Committee for his support and enthusiasm in organizing NAC-V at BARC. We thank all the members of the Advisory Committee, Organizing Committee, Technical Committee and other committees for their valuable support during the formulation of the technical content of the symposium. We are fortunate to have experts in various committees who shared their expertise. We are grateful to the members of Local Organizing Committee (LOC), and Chairman, LOC, Dr. P.K. Pujari, Head, Nuclear Chemistry Section, RCD, BARC, and Dr. L. Varshney, Head, RTDD, BARC (Chairman, Finance Committee), who have worked with dedication in organizing this symposium. We thank Dr. K.K. Swain, Dr. D. Alamelu, Dr. S. Jeyakumar, Dr. S. K. Thulasidas, Dr. A. C. Deb, Shri K. Venkatesh, Dr. K. V. V. Nair, Dr. R. Tripathi, Dr. S. Sodaye, Shri K. C. Jagadeesan, Mr. D. B. Paranjape, Dr. Pranaw Kumar, Dr. P. S. Remya Devi, Dr. A. K. Satpati, Mr. R. G. Dalvi and Dr. K. B. Dasari who have contributed immensely for the success of NAC-V in various capacities. We thank our dearest colleague and technical committee member (Late) Dr. P. N. Pathak, RCD, BARC for his immense contributions in various activities of NAC-V including review of full papers and condole with heavy hearts his untimely demise. We thank Dr. Hemlata K Bagla, Vice Principal and Dr. Manju Nichani, Principal, K. C. College and College authorities and team of volunteers for organizing one day technical programme of NAC V. Sincere and dedicated efforts of Shri Sharad Nalawade in composing theabstract book are acknowledged. We thank Shri Sharad Nalawade, Shri Vishal N. Koli and Prefect Prints for their effort in printing and publishing the abstract book. Thanks are due to administrative staff of Director, BARC, RC&I Group, Chemistry Group, RCD, ACD, HRDD, and BARC Training School Hostel (TSH) of BARC. Thanks are due to the reviewers of pre-selected manuscripts for sparing their time.

We are thankful to the Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry (JRNC) for agreeing to publish a few selected full papers for maintaining a high quality in a Special Issue on NAC-V. We followed a rigorous procedure of pre-selecting manuscripts which were then critically reviewed by two or three expert reviewers in the field as per the guidelines set by JRNC. We are happy that 54 full manuscripts have been accepted in JRNC for publication. Table 1 gives the list of 54 papers (titles and authors) presented in various technical sessions of NAC-V. We thank all the reviewers from India and abroad as well as all the authors for their timely support in bringing out this Special Issue. The Guest Editors thank Dr. Zsolt Revay (Editor-in-Chief), Prof. A. Chatt (Editor, Special Issues), and Dr. Tibor Kocsor (Associate Editor) of Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry for their continuous guidance and support in bringing out this Special Issue of JRNC containing papers of NAC-V.

Table 1 Titles and authors of full papers of NAC-V in Special Issue of JRNC
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