Design of a DT neutron source based PGNAA facility for element determination in aqueous solution

Area of Science:

• Nuclear Physics
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Prompt Gamma Ray Neutron Activation Analysis (PGNAA) is a powerful technique for elemental analysis.
• Developing specialized facilities is crucial for optimizing PGNAA applications in bulk sample analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and develop a novel DT neutron source-based PGNAA facility.
• To establish a calibration curve for determining chlorine and boron concentrations in aqueous samples.
• To evaluate the performance and accuracy of the developed PGNAA facility.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a Deuterium-Tritium (DT) neutron generator as the neutron source.
• Employed prompt gamma ray neutron activation analysis for elemental detection.
• Applied the internal standard method to correct for neutron self-shielding effects.
• Performed quantitative analysis of boron and chlorine in aqueous solutions.

Main Results:

• Achieved minimum detectable concentrations of 1.37 ± 0.42 mg/L for boron and 12.51 ± 3.80 mg/L for chlorine.
• Demonstrated high accuracy in performance tests, with maximum relative deviations of 4.49% for boron and 5.32% for chlorine.
• Successfully established a calibration curve for the PGNAA facility.

Conclusions:

• The developed DT neutron source-based PGNAA facility is effective for bulk sample analysis.
• The facility provides accurate and sensitive quantification of boron and chlorine in aqueous matrices.
• The internal standard method effectively mitigates neutron self-shielding effects, enhancing analytical reliability.