EPA-R2-73-009
MARCH 1973
Environmental Protection Technology Series
Neutron Activation Analysis
of Bottom Sediments
National Environmental Research Center
Office of Research and Monitoring
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Corvallis, Oregon 97330
-------
RESEARCH REPORTING SERIES
Research reports of the Office of Research and
Monitoring, Environmental Protection Agency, have
been grouped into five series. These five broad
categories were established to facilitate further
development and application of environmental
technology. Elimination of traditional grouping
was consciously planned to foster technology
transfer and a maximum interface in related
fields. The five series are:
1. Environmental Health Effects Research
2. Environmental Protection Technology
3. Ecological Research
4. Environmental Monitoring
5. Socioeconomic Environmental Studies
This report has been assigned to the ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION TECHNOLOGY series. This series
describes research performed to develop and
demonstrate instrumentation, equipment and
methodology to repair or prevent environmental
degradation from point and non-point sources of
pollution. This work provides the new or improved
technology required for the control and treatment
of pollution sources to meet environmental quality
standards.
-------
EPA-R2-73-009
March 1973
NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS OF BOTTOM SEDIMENTS
by
Robert V. Moore
Oliver W. Propheter
Southeast Environmental Research Laboratory
College Station Road
Athens, Georgia 30601
Project #16020 GHQ
Program Element 1B1027
NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH CENTER
OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND MONITORING
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
CORVALLIS, OREGON 97330
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, B.C. 20402
Price 40 cents domestic postpaid or 30 cents OFO Bookstore
-------
ABSTRACT
Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was applied to
bottom sediments obtained from 17 locations (small and large
rivers, a canal, coastal waters, and a bay) within the United
States to determine the applicability of INAA to water pollution
studies. Irradiations of 30 seconds and 60 minutes, followed by
three pulse-height analyses of gamma radiation, detected and
measured up to 43 elements including most elements of interest.
Decay times did not exceed seven days. Sample handling was
minimal.
Elements readily analyzed are Al, As, Au, Ba, Br, Cl, Co, Cr,
Dy, Fe, K, La, Mg, Mn, Na, Sb, Sm, Th, Ti, and V.
Elements that could be analyzed, but for which optimum condi-
tions of analysis (length of irradiation, time of decay, time
for counting, and type of detector) were not used, were Ag, Ca,
Cd, Ce, Cs, Cu, Eu, Hf, Hg, I, Lu, Mo, Nd, Rb, Se, Sr, Te, U,
W, Yb, and Zn.
At least 30 elements can be determined in duplicate for about
$120 per sample with optimum laboratory utilization and number
of samples.
iii
-------
CONTENTS
Section paRe
I Conclusion 1
II Recommendation 3
III Introduction 5
IV Experimental 7
V Results and Discussion 11
VI References 13
-------
TABLES
No. Page
1 Quantitative Analysis of Samples Irradiated
30 seconds 14
2 Quantitative Analysis of Samples Irradiated
60 minutes 15
VI
-------
SECTION I
CONCLUSIONS
Sediment analysis using INAA is practical, sensitive, and, for
many elements, the method of choice. As improvements in instru-
mentation occur, the applicability will be extended.
-------
SECTION II
RECOMMENDATION
Instrumental neutron activation analysis should be used to deter-
mine elemental composition of sediment samples when consideration
of sensitivity, selectivity or economy indicates it to be practi
cal. Computerized data analysis should be used for multielement
analysis.
-------
SECTION III
INTRODUCTION
Many water pollutants are associated with bottom sediments either
directly or by adsorption on soils. Bottom sediments are not al-
ways inert but are often reservoirs from which pollutants that are
leached or taken up by microbiota enter the food chain. (1) Com-
prehensive elemental analysis of bottom sediments is necessary to
assess the significance of and to determine the fate of adsorbed
pollutants. Complexity of sample matrices and uncertainty of sam-
ple stability during preparation present significant problems in
the application of other conventional techniques which must use
destructive techniques in the preparation of samples for analysis.
Bohannon et al. v ' demonstrated the overall applicability of in-
strumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) to water pollution
studies but did not include sediments. They analyzed for only six
elements using a Nal(Tl) crystal scintillation detector. The
solid-state germanium detectors, Ge(Li), used presently extend the
use of INAA to many more elements as demonstrated by Dams ejt al.M;
who analyzed for 33 elements in air particulates. De Groot et al> )
demonstrated the applicability of INAA to river sediments by ana-
lyzing for 10 elements and noting the presence of 15 others.
Reported are instrumental neutron activation analyses of 18 sedi-
ment samples collected from 17 regions within the United States.
Analyses were performed at the Southeast Environmental Research
Laboratory (SERL) , Nuclear Analysis Facility located at the Nuclear
Research Center, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia.
-------
SECTION IV
EXPERIMENTAL
Eighteen samples of bottom materials, selected to be representa-
tive of a wide variety of silts and sediments, were collected from
rivers, a canal, coastal waters, and a bay. The samples were pack-
aged in glass jars or polyethylene bottles with enough water to in-
sure that they were moist when received by the National Bureau of
Standards (NBS). The analyses performed at NBS(5) were used for
comparison in this report.
Aliquots of the sediments were forwarded to SERL in glass contain-
ers with sufficient water to keep them moist. Portions of the
samples were placed on filter paper, and the excess water was al-
lowed to drain before they were placed in all-glass containers.
The resultant moisture content was determined by weighing a sepa-
rate portion of the wet sample, drying overnight at 110°C, then
reweighing. Wet samples to be irradiated in the nuclear reactor
weighed from 0.1 g to 0.9 g.
Portions of each sediment were irradiated in the nuclear reactor:
one for 30 seconds to determine elements with short half-lives,
and another for 60 minutes for longer lived elements. The por-
tions to be irradiated for 30 seconds were placed in 3/5 -dram poly-
ethylene vials and heat sealed. After irradiation, a portion of
the irradiated material was transferred into another clean, tared,
2^-dram vial and weighed. The flux monitor, consisting of an ali-
quot of a standard arsenic solution, was treated similarly. This
permitted radioactive argon to escape and removed the interference
from activated elements in the irradiated vial itself. Only one
sample and its flux monitor were irradiated at a time because the
short half-lives did not allow enough time to do more.
Samples to be irradiated for 60 minutes were weighed into quartz
vials and heat sealed. Flux monitors, again of standard arsenic
solution, were treated similarly. Three samples and a flux moni-
tor were irradiated together. After an appropriate waiting period
each sample was counted in its vial without further treatment.
All samples were introduced into the nuclear reactor via a pneu-
matic tube system and were irradiated at a thermal neutron flux
of 10l3n/cm2/sec.
The gamma emissions of each 30-second sample were analyzed and
counted after an elapsed time of about 10 minutes and again after
about 100 minutes. The delay was predicated by the activity of
the sample. The sample was placed in a position calibrated for
-------
geometry effects within a shield with the dead time of counting no
more than 25%. (Dead time is the time the detector is shut down
while detected gamma photons are processed.) Counting times of
either 200 or 400 seconds were used depending on the need to ob-
tain statistically valid counts for minor constituents. Data were
typed out only for the elements of interest because a complete
typeout would have taken too much time. The flux monitor was
counted after the 10-minute count and prior to the 100-minute
count.
The 60-minute irradiation samples were stored behind 4 inches of
lead for a period of 6 or 7 days prior to gamma analysis and count-
ing for 2000 seconds. The requirements of position and dead time
given above were obeyed. All data were printed out so that a com-
plete qualitative and quantitative analysis could be made. The
flux standards were counted at times comparable to the samples.
Quantitative standards for each element were irradiated along with
their flux monitors for the appropriate time of irradiation. These
standards were counted in the same manner as the unknowns. All re-
sults of gamma counting were normalized back to the time of irradi-
ation for a standard counting period. Flux monitors made the di-
rect comparison between standards and unknowns possible by cor-
recting for differences in flux. Corrections for dead time and
geometry were also made.
Qualitative analysis was made by comparing primary peak energies
obtained from data output with theoretical energies. Very little
interference exists in naturally occurring samples, and when it
does, it can readily be resolved by utilizing secondary peaks.
Quantitative analysis was also based on primary peaks. Only in a
few cases was it necessary to use secondary peaks. Peak counts
corrected for background, dead time, and geometry were normalized
to the end of irradiation for a counting time of 200 seconds.
Count rates for unknowns were compared to standards adjusted for
flux. Concentrations were obtained in grams of element per gram
of dry sediment.
The detector used was a large Ge(Li) solid state detector with an
efficiency of 9.85% compared to a 3 x 3 inch Nal(Tl) scintillation
detector. It had a resolution of 2.12 keV full width half maxi-
mum (FWHM) for the 60Co 1332 kev photopeak and a peak-to-Compton
ratio of 32:1. The analyzer was a Nuclear Data 2220 multichannel
analyzer system with an analog-to-digital converter resolution of
4096 channels and a 1024 channel memory. With a calibration of
1 kev per channel, two multichannel analyses had to be made per
sample: from 0-1024 keV and from 1025-2048 keV. This was done
8
-------
for each sample and for each time of radiation. As there were no
elements of interest with gamma energies greater than 2048 keV,
no further multichannel analyses were made.
-------
SECTION V
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Table 1 shows the results of the 30-second irradiations along with
the NBS data for comparison. Table 2 shows the 60-minute irradia-
tion data along with the NBS data for comparison. NBS analyzed
the samples for all the elements reported by emission spectroscopy
and for five elements by INAA. (->) The results given in both Ta-
bles 1 and 2 are in quantitative agreement consistent with the
analytical uncertainties and evident heterogeneity of the samples.
The exceptions to this are mercury, copper, and barium.
Values for mercury cannot be compared. Some samples were collected
in polyethylene bottles and NBS irradiated samples in polyethylene
vials. Mercury is lost from polyethylene containers during stor-
age^) and irradiation.(7) The samples affected and the extent of
loss are not known.
Copper values reported by SERL are probably high. The original
activity of the total sample was very high. In the time it took
for the sample to decay so that the dead time was less than 257,,
copper had decayed through 11 half-lives. Copper is quantitated
using the annihilation peak at 511 kev. A number of other elements,
including zinc and europium, make small contributions, usually neg-
ligible, to this peak; however, after 11 half-lives of decay for
copper, the contributions from other sources with long half-lives
becomes significant.
SERL barium values are lower than those of NBS. Barium was quan-
titated by each of two isotopes, 131 and 139, with comparable re-
sults .
In addition to the elements quantitated, the following elements
were also detected in one or more samples: Ag, Au, Br, Ca, Cd, Ce,
Cl, Cs, Dy, Eu, Hf, I, K, Lu, Mo, Na, Nd, Rb, Sc, Se, Sm, Te, Th,
Ti, U, W, and Yb. Many were in all samples and many could have
been quantitated.
In sediment samples a number of elements can readily be analyzed
by the method described because their concentrations are so large
that their detection limits are not approached. These elements
include: Al, As, Ba, Br, Cl, Co, Cr, Fe, K, La, Mg, Mn, Na, Sc,
Sb, Sm, Ti, and V.
The procedure described is not optimal for some elements. For
example, a shorter irradiation followed by a relatively shorter
11
-------
decay period would have given better values for Cu. A number of
other elements could have been quantitated better if a longer
counting time had been used. A longer decay time before counting,
allowing short and intermediate half-life elements to die out,
would, of course, have optimized the counting of long half-life
elements. The variables of irradiation time, decay time, and
counting time could have been varied to optimize conditions for
analysis for the elements Ag, Au, Ca, Cd, Ce, Cs, Cu, Eu, Hf, I,
Mo, Nd, Rb, Se, Sr, Te, Th, U, W, Yb, and Zn.
Low-energy photon detectors (LEPD) have become available to comple-
ment the large Ge(Li) detectors. These LEPD are also Ge(Li) de-
tectors but are thin, which causes them to be more efficient and
have much better resolution at energies below 200 keV than the
standard high volume Ge(Li) detectors. Also, the Compton back-
scatter of high energy gamma photons is minimized on the LEPD.
These two factors make the LEPD ideal for the analysis of elements
such as Hg with its 77.6 keV gamma emission. Other elements that
could ideally be analyzed using a LEPD are: Ba, Br, Cd, Co, Dy,
Eu, Gd, Ho, Mo, Nd, Th, Se, Sm, Sr, Ta, Te, Th, U, and W.
A dedicated computer would permit the analyst a greater latitude
in selecting optimal conditions for INAA, and would increase the
range, sensitivity, and accuracy of analysis. It would also de-
crease the time factor so that INAA could compete favorably with
other analytical procedures. Through the use of good detectors,
fast multichannel analyzers, and proper dedicated computers, opti-
mum numbers of sediment samples could be analyzed in duplicate,
quantitated for 30 elements, with qualitative analysis for up to
60 elements, for about $120 per sample.
12
-------
SECTION VI
REFERENCES
1. Klein, David H. and Goldberg, E. D., "Mercury in the Marine
Environment," Environ. Sci. and Tech. 4, 765 (1970)
2. Bohannon, Jr., J. R., Berghese, K., and Weaver, J. N., "Neu-
tron Activation Analysis in Water Resources Management in
North Carolina," Report No. 31, December 31, 1969. Project
# A-039-NC, NOA-NAA-Report # FY-70-1
3. Dams, R. , Robbins, J. A., Rahn, K. A., and Winchester, J. W.,
"Nondestructive Neutron Activation Analysis of Air Pollution
Particulates," Anal. Chem. 42, 861 (1970)
4. De Groot, A. J., Zschuppe, K. H., de Bruin, M., Houtman,
J. P. W., and Singgih, P. A., "Activation Analysis Applied
to Sediments from Various River Deltas," Proc. Int. Conf.,
NBS Special Publication 312 Vol. I (1969) p. 62
5. Division of Analytical Chemistry, Institute of Materials Re-
search, National Bureau of Standards, "Interaction of
Nitrilotriacetic Acid with Suspended and Bottom Material,"
Program No. 16020 GFR, U.S. EPA Report 16020 GFR 07/71
6. Coyne, R. V. and Collins, J. A., "Loss of Mercury from Water
during Storage," Anal. Chem. 44, 1093 (1972)
7. Bate, L. C., "Loss of Mercury from Containers in Neutron
Activation Analysis," Radiochem. Radioanal. Letters 6, 139
(1971)
13
-------
Table 1 Quantitative Analysis of Samples Irradiated 30 seconds
Element
Laboratory
^-•^lethod
Sample?^~^
37913
37914
37915
37916
37917
37918
37919
37920
37921
37922
37923
37933
37934
37935
37936
37947
37950
37961
a»Al
SEKL
NAA
4.0xlO-a
2.5x10-3
4.4x10-3
9.2x10-"
6.5xlO'a
S.lxlO-3
4.0xlQ-a
5.3xlO-a
5.8xlO-a
8.2x10-3
5.6x10-3
9.6x10-3
1.0x10-1
4.1xlO"a
1.2x10-1
6.1x10-3
6. 6xlO-a
6.8x10-'
NBS
ES
10-3
10-3
10"a
10'a
io-a
ID"3
10-1
10-1
10-1
10-1
10-1
10-1
10-1
10-3
10-a
10*3
10-a
10-3
76A8
SERL
NAA
3.6x10-3
1.3xlO-B
1.6xlO-«
MBS
NAA
1.1x10-3
2.8x10-3
2.3x10-6
2.4x10-6
3.9x10-6
1. SxlO-6
3.3x10-"
<2 x!0-°
1.5x10-6
<4 xlO-6
1.0x10-"
1.3xlO-e
<4 xlO-8
1. IxlO-6
<3 xlO-8
ES
10-3
10-3
139 Ba
SERL
NAA
3.4x10-3
6.0x10-3
4.8x10"*
7.7x10-1
9.1x10-*
8.4x10-*
5.4x10-*
4.8x10-*
6.4x10'*
3.9x10-*
4.9x10-*
1.1x10-3
4.3x10'*
4.7x10'*
2.6x10-*
5.7x10"*
9.2x10-*
l.3xlO-a
NBS
ES
10-3
10-3
10"3
10-3
10-3
10-3
10-3
ID'3
10-3
10-3
10-3
10-3
10-3
10-3
10-3
ID'S
10-3
10-3
37 Mg
SERL
NAA
1.0x10-1
6.4xlO-a
5.0x10-3
8.1x10-3
9.7x10-3
1.1x10-3
2.1xlO-a
8.6x10-3
3.3x10-3
4.6x10-3
3.0x10-3
8.1x10-3
l.lxlO-a
6.4x10-3
3.1x10-3
1.8x10-3
8.4x10-3
2.4x10-1
NBS
ES
ID'S
10-3
10-3
10-3
10-a
ID-3
10-3
10-3
ID'S
ID'S
ID'S
10-3
10-3
10-3
10-1
ID''
68Mn
SERL
NAA
1.1x10-3
4.1x10-*
7.9x10'*
2.4xlO-»
8.6x10-*
5.5x10-*
9.0x10-*
6.5x10"*
1.4x10-3
1.6x10"*
8.2x10-*
1.4x10-3
3.9x10-*
6.0x10'*
4.2x10-*
4.0x10"*
4.9x10-*
4.0x10-*
NBS
NAA
1.4x10-3
4 xlO-*
7 xlO"*
4 xlO-1
1.1x10-3
9 xlO-*
1.1x10-3
9 xlO'*
2.1x10-3
2 xlO-*
9 xlO-«
ES
10-*
10-*
10-*
10-*
10-*
10-*
10-*
10-*
10-*
10-*
10-*
10-4
1C"*
10-*
10-*
10-3
10-3
10-3
say
SERL
NAA
5.4x10-6
4.6x10-5
3.2xlO-B
5.4x10-*
5.3x10-6
6.1x10-*
3.6x10-°
4.8xlO-B
3.0x10-°
7.6x10-6
5.9xlO-o
8.6xlO-B
7.9x10-6
2.6x10-6
1.7x10-"
7.3x10-6
3.9xlO-5
6.3x10-6
NBS
NAA
5.4xlO-6
2.1x10-6
5.0x10-6
<1 xlO-6
1.1x10-*
1.2x10-*
8 x!0-°
1.0x10-*
<1 xlO-0
1.1x10-*
9 xlO'°
ES
10-4
10-*
10-8
lO-6
io-«
LEGEND
All values g element/g dry sed.
SERL - Southeast Environmental Research Laboratory
NBS - National Bureau of Standards
NAA - Neutron Activation Analysis
ES - Emission Spectroscopy
ND - Not Detected
-------
Table 2 Quantitative Analysis of Samples Irradiated 60 minutes
Element
Laboratory
~~— --Method
Sample?^^-^^
37913
37914
37915
37916
37917
37918
37919
37920
37921
37922
37923
37933
37934
37935
37936
37947
37950
37961
•"> As
SERL
NAA
3.3x10-3
7.4xlO-»
1.4x10-*
1,6x10-6
l.lxlO-6
7.0xlO-a
2.0X10"6
9.6xlO-7
2.7xlO-8
1.4x10-6
6.1x10-°
l.SxIO-6
1.3x10-6
9.7xlO-a
5.0x10-8
1.2x10-8
4.8xlO"e
7.0xlO-«
NBS
NAA
1.1x10-3
2.8x10-3
2.3X10-6
2.4x10-6
3.9x10-6
1.5x10-6
3.3x10-6
<2 xlO-e
1.5xlO-E
<4 xlO-8
l.OxlO-e
1.3x10-6
<4 xlO-9
l.lxlO-s
<3 xlO-a
ES
10-3
10-3
131 Ba
SERL
NAA
4.8xlO"a
9.0xlO-»
5.5x10-4
5.9x10-4
5.9x10-4
6.0x10-4
1.0x10-3
6.6xlO~»
4.3x10-4
3.7x10-4
3.9x10-4
1.6x10-3
5.6x10-4
8.0x10-4
2.6x10-4
Trace
1.3x10-3
1.8x10-3
NBS
ES
ID'"
10-3
10-3
10-3
10-3
10-3
10-3
10-3
10-3
10-3
10-3
1C-3
io-3
10-3
ID'S
10-3
lO-3
10-3
6iCr
SERL
NAA
9.7x10-4
3.6x10-4
1.5x10-4
2.2x10-4
1.1x10-4
1.2x10-4
7.0x10-4
9.8xlO-s
8.8xlO-s
1.3x10-4
8.0x10-6
2.6x10-4
4.5x10-6
6.7x10-6
2.6x10-6
1.5x10-*
5.5x10-4
1.1x10-4
NBS
ES
10-4
10-«
10-4
10-»
10-4
10-4
10-4
10-4
ID"4
10-4
10-4
ID"4
10-4
10-4
1C-3
10-3
10-3
«°Co
SERI.
NAA
3.0x10-6
3.4x10-6
1.8x10-6
1.8xlO-6
l.lxlO-6
l.lxlO-e
1.6x10-6
1.5x10-6
1.1x10-6
1.5xlO-B
1.0x10-6
S.SxIO-6
1.2xlO-s
8.3xlO-«
3.7x10-8
2.0x10-6
6.9xlO-e
7.8x10-8
NBS
ES
lO-6
ID'6
ID"6
84 Cu
SERL
NAA
3.1X10-3
1.8x10-3
4.7x10-4
6.5x10-4
8.4x10-4
4.9x10-3
7.3x10-4
5.1x10-4
3.0x10-4
3.6x10-4
5.5x10-4
1.0x10-3
6.5x10-4
7.4x10-4
3.1x10-4
2.2x10-3
2.2x10-3
2.1x10-3
NBS
NAA
1.6xlO"3
1.3x10-3
8 xlO-5
1.8x10-4
1.3x10-*
2.8x10-4
9 xlO-5
2.3x10-4
1.3x10-4
1.4x10-4
1.0x10-4
ES
10-3
10-3
10-6
10-4
10-5
10-6
10-3
10-6
10-6
10-s
10-6
ID"3
10-4
io-«
IO-8
ID'S
10-4
10-3
LEGEND
All values g element/g dry sed.
SERL - Southeast Environmental Research Laboratory
NBS - National Bureau of Standards
NAA - Neutron Activation Analysis
ES - Emission Spectroscopy
ND - Not Detected
-------
Table 2 Quantitative Analysis of Samples Irradiated 60 minutes (Continued)
Element
Laboratory
^~-~Uethod
SampleS?^-^^
37913
37914
37915
37916
37917
37918
37919
37920
37921
37922
37923
37933
37934
37935
37936
37947
37950
37961
E9Fe
SERL
NAA
4.8x10-8
3.9xl0'3
4.1xlO-s»
3.7xlO-a
3.8xlO-a
3.0x10-3
l.lxlO'1
4.6xlO-a
2.2x10-3
3.4xlO"3
2.5xlO-a
5.8x10-3
3.4xlO"a
1.8x10-3
8.4x10-3
4.5xlO-a
l.BxlO"3
3.5x10-3
NBS
ES
10-3
10'3
ID'3
10-a
10-3
ID'3
10-3
ID-3
10-3
10-3
10-3
10-3
ID'3
10-3
10-3
10-3
10-3
ID'3
197 Hg
SERL
NAA
4.6x10-*
1.0x10-3
ND
6 xlO-8
ND
Trace
1.0x10-*
ND
ND
2.1xlO-<
ND
Trace
ND
6.3x10-*
4.8x10-8
NBS
NAA
3.5x10-1
1.1x10-3
<5 xlO"7
9 xlO-«
<6 xlO-7
2 xlO-a
6 xlO-6
<5 xlO-7
<8 xlO-7
2.2x10-4
<7 xlO"7
<1 XlO-8
2 xlO-8
2 xlO-8
3 xlO-6
ES
10-«
10-4
1*°La
SERL
NAA
1.9x10-8
2.9x10-6
6.5xlO-B
4.6x10-6
8.2x10-6
8.5xlO-s
4.0x10-5
4.3xlO-E
6.0xlO-s
6. 7X10-6
6.8x10-6
9.8x10-6
8.2x10-6
4.3x10-6
1.9x10-6
3.5x10-6
6.6X10-6
6.0xlO-s
NBS
ES
133Sb
SERL
NAA
7.3x10-6
Trace
1.9x10-6
2.6x10-8
6.7x10-6
2.0xlO-«
4.7x10-6
4.8xlO-7
9.1x10-7
3.7x10-7
8.1x10-'
1.7x10-8
5. 2X10-7
1.3x10-8
4.6x10-'
Trace
J.OlxlO-8
1. 2xlO-e
NBS
ES
86 Zn
SERL
NAA
7.1xlO"3
6.9x10-4
ND
Trace
ND
ND
1.5x10-3
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
Trace
Trace
Trace
ND
ND
NBS
ES
10-4
10-4
10-4
10-4
10-4
10-4
10-4
10-4
I
o
LEGEND
All values g element/g dry sed.
SERL - Southeast Environmental Research Laboratory
NBS - National Bureau of Standards
NAA - Neutron Activation Analysis
ES - Emission Spectroscopy
ND - Not Detected
-------
SELECTED WATER
RESOURCES ABSTRACTS
INPUT TRANSACTION FORM
/. Rer "No.
w
5. R -.rtD
6.
NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS OF BOTTOM SEDIMENTS, ? p,^,-jrmir
F:.. t.jrt Ni.
Moore, R. V. and Propheter, O. W.
U. ST Environmental Protection Agency
National Environmental Research Center—Corvallis
Southeast Environmental Research Laboratory
Athens, Georgia 30601
12. Sponsoring Or^aniVn-ia
16020 GHQ
13. Type
-,nd
Environmental Protection Agency Report
number, EPA-R2-73-009, March 1973.
Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was applied to
bottom sediments obtained from 17 locations (small and large rivers,
a canal, coastal waters, and a bay) within the United States to
determine the applicability of INAA to water pollution studies.
Irradiations of 30 seconds and 60 minutes, followed by three pulse-
height analyses of gamma radiation, detected and measured up to 43
elements including most elements of interest. Decay times did not
exceed seven days. Sample handling was minimal.
Elements readily analyzed are Al, As, Ba, Mg, Dy, Mn, V, Cr, Co,
Fe, La, Sb, Br, Cl, Au, K, Sm, Se, Na, Th, and Ti.
i?a. Descriptors *Trace Elements, *Bottom Sediments, *Neutron Activation
Analysis, Analytical Techniques, Pollutant Identification, Water
Pollution
17b. Identifiers
Ge (Li) Detector
17c. COWRR Field & Group
IS. A variability
19.
20. Security Class.
(Page):
21. 'jtet.of
Pages j
22. Price
Send To:
WATER RESOURCES SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION CENTER
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
WASHINGTON. D. C. 20340
Ai>"SiV JUNE (971)
------- |