ABSTRACT

The trace elemental contents of the bulk bone and soil samples were determined by NAA using a combination of short and long irradiations. The elements determined by full-fission (INAA) irradiation of 150 mg bone samples were: Br, Ca, Cl, Mg, Mn, Na, Sr, and V. The samples were irradiated for 5 sec in a thermal neutron flux of 8 x 1013n/cm2/s, allowed to decay for 3 min, and then counted for 5 min each using HPGe detectors with 25 percent relative efficiency. Improved counting statistics, because of less interference from Al, were obtained for Br, Mn, and Na by recounting the samples after a 4 hr decay.