Determination of 18 trace elements in petroleum and its derivatives by neutron activation with a small nuclear reactor

Non-destructive neutron activation has been used to analyze 6 different samples of crude oil and heating oil, from Western Canada and Venezuela. These samples were irradiated with thermal neutrons for 2, 30 and 240 min in the SLOWPOKE reactor and the concentrations of 18 trace and minor elements (Al, As, Br, Cl, Co, Dy, Eu, Fe, I, La, Mn, Mo, Ni, Na, S, Se, Sm and V) ranging from 0.6 ppb to 2.24% have been measured. Eleven elements (As, Br, Co, Cl, Fe, Mo, Mn, Na, Ni, S and V) were determined in the fuel oil (SRM-1634) obtained from the National Bureau of Standards and were found to be in good agreement with the values certified by NBS