Epithermal/Fast Neutron Cyclic Activation Analysis for the Determination of Fluorine in Environmental and Industrial Materials

Pseudocyclic activation analysis (12-second irradiation, 12-second count, 5 cycles, 25 minutes between cycles) is used to determine fluorine in plastic and rubber with detection limits in the range 15–40 mg/kg. The detection of fluorine in materials containing high concentrations of aluminum is improved using the ¹⁹F(n,p)¹⁹O reaction, induced by fast neutrons, (30-second irradiation, 30-second count, 25-minute decay between cycles). The method was applied to a biomonitoring survey in the vicinity of an aluminum smelter in the Årdal region, Norway. The fluorine concentration in the moss and soil samples could be determined in all samples above the detection limits of 50 and 100 mg/kg, respectively.