Blank evaluation in nitrogen determination in seed grains by 14 MeV neutron activation analysis

In this work the term blank signifies total radiation of the sample analyzed except that the element to be determined (analyte) is absent. On the basis of the evaluation of the blank components (nuclear and spectral interferences, air-nitrogen between grains etc.), a semiempirical formula for calculating the nitrogen content in plant grain samples is proposed. The reliability of the results obtained with the use of this formula has been demonstrated for five sorts of seeds (rye, wheat, barley, broad bean and soybean) which have been analyzed by the Kjeldahl method and 14 MeV neutron activation analysis, respectively.