Effects of sample and spectrum characteristics on cold and thermal neutron prompt gamma activation analysis in environmental studies of plants |
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Authors: | L Robinson and L Zhao |
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Institution: | (1) Environmental Sciences Institute, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL 32307, USA; |
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Abstract: | Previous studies including the development of methods for the determination of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in cattail
using cold neutron prompt gamma activation (CNPGAA) and thermal neutron prompt gamma activation analysis (TNPGAA); evaluation
of the precision and accuracy of these methods through the analysis of Standard Reference Materials (SRMs); and comparison
of the sensitivity of CNPGAA to TNPGAA have been done in the CNPGAA and TNPGAA facilities at the National Institute of Standards
and Technology (NIST). This paper integrates the findings from all of these prior studies and presents recommendations for
the application of CNPGAA and TNPGAA in environmental studies of plants based on synergistic considerations of the effects
of neutron energy, matrix factors such as chlorine content, Compton scattering, hydrogen content, sample thickness, and spectral
interferences from Cl on the determination of C, N, and P. This paper also provides a new approach that simulates a sensitivity
curve for an element of interest (S), which is a function of hydrogen content (X) and sample thickness (Y) as follows: S = aX + bY + c (where a, b, and c are constants). This approach has provided more accurate results from the analysis of SRMs than traditional methods and an
opportunity to use models to optimize experimental conditions. |
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Keywords: | |
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