SCIENTIFIC REVIEW ON THEORY AND MECHANISM OF NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS IN GEOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLES

18 PAGES (6094 WORDS) Education/Physics Paper

ABSTRACT

This study described the theory and mechanism for the simultaneous determination of major, minor and trace elements involved in Neutron Activation Analysis, applied to geological and environmental samples as a sensitive and non−destructive tool. Using Neutron Source, the gamma−rays emitted due to neutron capture have been applied for the investigation of the elemental constituents and concentrations of major, minor and trace elements in such samples. Neutron Activation Analysis is of increasing importance in the field of element characterization in environmental and geological samples for a number of reasons that were documented and reviewed by several scientific researchers. NAA serve in the local industry and economy in each regional area of the country. It presents a sensitive multi-element technique which is valuable for major, minor and trace element analysis due to its precision and accuracy. The basic theory and detailed information on how NAA works in the analysis of above samples was presented in this paper.