New Inorganic Boron Assessment in environmental Samples by Neutron Activation Analysis using CR-39 Solid State Nuclear Track Detectors.

Abstract

"bstract: A new trend in applying nuclear solid-state track detector CR-39 for neutron activation assessment of inorganic boron compounds in environmental samples was established. The nuclear reaction 10B(𝑛, 𝛼)7Li was selected for this purpose by using gelatin film for a sample application. It possesses many advantages such as time saving, sensitivity, and reproduciblity, and many related variables were studied. Linearity was found at the range of 1.0 - 12.5 ppm and at 10.0 -250 ppm with different slopes. There were no interfering nuclei among the naturally abundant elements and their isotopes, viz. Al, O, Na, Cl, P, Ca, Si, K, and Cu. It was applied to determine boron in simulated environments and industrial soil and water samples, with recovery within the range of 96-100 %, good precision and accuracy + 1.5 - 3.0 %. The method sensitivity can be enhanced by using longer irradiation time, and few micrograms of boron can be analysed, and hence it is more suitable to be used in the activation analysis system of nuclear reactors "