Uncertainty assessment in instrumental neutron activation analysis of biological materials

Summary The expression of measurement uncertainties in a standardized form is a requirement for result reliability as it imposes implications to the interpretation of analytical results. In this work, sample mass, elemental standard mass, element decay constant and sample and elemental standard activities were identified as the most important uncertainty sources for the relative method of instrumental neutron activation analysis. The contribution of these sources to the expanded standard uncertainty in the concentration of As, Co, Cr, Fe, K, Na, Se and Zn in biological materials of marine origin was assessed and sample activity was identified as the major contribution.