Method for moisture measurement

A method of determining the moisture content in a sample material while the sample material is undergoing elemental activation analysis (EAA) to determine the concentration of at least one sample element contained in the sample material which during EAA forms an activation product, the method comprising:

• positioning a reference material in vicinity of the sample material, the reference material containing a reference element having a thermal neutron capture cross-section of at least 1 barn, the reference element selected such that its product isotope of a thermal neutron capture reaction is a radioisotope that emits gamma-rays;
• irradiating the sample material and the reference material with a source of fast neutrons to produce thermal neutrons in the sample material;
• detecting gamma-rays emitted from the reference material and generating signals representative of the detected gamma-rays;
• calculating a factor, R, proportional to the thermal neutron flux based on the generated signals;
• and
• determining, from a relationship relating moisture content to R, the moisture content in the sample material,
• wherein the reference element is distinct from the at least one sample element in the sample material.