ABSTRACT
In neutron activation analysis (NAA) a sample is irradiated in the neutron flux inside a nuclear reactor. Nuclei of a stable analyte isotope are transformed by neutron capture into a heavier, radioactive isotope that undergoes β-decay with the emission of a characeristic γ-ray spectrum. The analyte can be identified in this spectrum from the energy of the γ-ray peaks, and its concentration measured from the peak integral.
