A Priori Method of Using Photon Activation Analysis to Determine Unknown Trace Element Concentrations in NIST Standards
Abstract
Photon activation analysis detected elements in two NIST standards that did not have reported concentration values. A method is currently being developed to infer these concentrations by using scaling parameters and the appropriate known quantities within the NIST standard itself. Scaling parameters include: threshold, peak and endpoint energies; photo-nuclear cross sections for specific isotopes; Bremstrahlung spectrum; target thickness; and photon flux. Photo-nuclear cross sections and energies from the unknown elements must also be known. With these quantities, the same integral was performed for both the known and unknown elements resulting in an inference of the concentration of the un-reported element based on the reported value. Since Rb and Mn were elements that were reported in the standards, and because they had well-identified peaks, they were used as the standards of inference to determine concentrations of the unreported elements of As, I, Nb, Y, and Zr. This method was tested by choosing other known elements within the standards and inferring a value based on the stated procedure. The reported value of Mn in the first NIST standard was 403±15 ppm and the reported value of Ca in the second NIST standard was 87000 ppm (no reported uncertainty). The inferred concentrations were 370±23 ppm and 80200±8700 ppm respectively.
- Publication:
-
Application of Accelerators in Research and Industry: Twentieth International Conference
- Pub Date:
- March 2009
- DOI:
- 10.1063/1.3120190
- Bibcode:
- 2009AIPC.1099..919G
- Keywords:
-
- 81.70.Cv;
- 29.25.Dz;
- 29.20.Ej;
- Nondestructive testing: ultrasonic testing photoacoustic testing;
- Neutron sources;
- Linear accelerators