Comparison of routine INAA procedures based on k0 and kZn standardizations

Performance characteristics (especially accuracy) of a routine INAA with k₀ standardization were verified and compared with those of INAA with a classical single comparator. For this purpose, samples of three certified reference materials of environmental origin (Fly Ash, Orchard Leaves and Buffalo River Sediment—all supplied by NIST) were irradiated with both kinds of comparators (Au–Zr for k₀ and Zn for classical k method) in one irradiation rabbit. Also the following steps of INAA procedure were practically the same for both standardization methods used (counting, spectral processing, etc.). The results have shown that the k₀ method gives sufficiently accurate results comparable with those of the well established and routinely used single comparator (Zn) method, provided proper neutron flux monitoring, efficiency calibration and also coincidence summing corrections are applied. This work shows that modern k₀ standardization method in INAA can be sucessfully used in routine practice and applied with an advantage in INAA laboratories subject to changes of neutron spectra or counting conditions.