Correction for neutron induced reaction interferences in the NAA k0-standardization method

A study is made of the correction, in k₀-standardized NAA, for interferences caused by fast neutron induced threshold reactions, second order reactions and²³⁵U-fission. The following examples are elaborated: determination of the Cr and Sc concentrations in a reference human serum, corrected for the⁵⁴Fe(n,)⁵¹Cr and⁴⁴Ca(n,;^–; n,)⁴⁶Sc interferences, respectively, and the determination of Zr, Cs, La, Ce, Nd and Sm concentrations in USGS BCR-1 and G-2, corrected for²³⁵U(n, f) interference. A detailed uncertainty analysis and a comparison of the analytical results thus obtained with other literature values proves that the interferences can be accurately corrected for by employing the usual neutron flux monitors in the k₀-method, namely a Zr-foil and a dilute Au–Al alloyed wire.