Neutron activation analysis method and apparatus for determining sodium and sodium compounds in liquid samples
AssigneeThe Dow Chemical Company
InventorsKerry J. Kelly, Arthur J. Kamp
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Abstract
Sodium is determined, virtually without known interferences, based on neutron activation of liquid sample to produce radioactive .sup.23 Ne activation product from .sup.23 Na, sparging of the sample whereby a headspace gas mixture comprising .sup.23 Ne in an inert sparging gas is collected, and remote analysis of the headspace gas mixture to determine total parent sodium based on monitoring radiation emissions of .sup.23 Ne. As an illustration of utility, the analysis is demonstrated as applicable to determinations of sodium in aqueous or organic matrices at concentrations of 1 part per thousand and greater using preferred forms of .sup.241 Am/Be radioactive isotope as the activation source.
Claims20
Analytical method for determining total sodium which comprises exposing sodium containing liquid sample to a neutron flux effective to produce .sup.23 Ne radioactive gas activation product, sparging the liquid sample effective to evolve and separate from the sample a detectable concentration of .sup.23 Ne admixed with sparging gas, flow removing said evolved gas mixture to a space remote from the neutron flux emission, monitoring said removed gas mixture for radiation emission, and quantifying based on radiation count, total sodium of the analyzed sample.
Analytical apparatus for neutron activation analysis which comprises an activation cell, an activation source for producing a neutron flux within said activation cell, means to place sample within said activation cell, means to sparge said liquid sample, a headspace being defined for receiving sparging gas in admixture with gas sparged thereby which is evolved from the liquid sample, a radiation detector remote from said activation cell, means shielding the radiation detector from neutron flux emission and background radiation emission, communication means for routing flow of the headspace gas mixture to the radiation detector to detect radiation emission of said gas mixture.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.