Neutron Activation Analysis of Inorganic Constituents of Airborne Particulates

The applications of neutron activation analysis for the routine monitoring of airborne inorganic pollutants were investigated. The use of several filter media were studied and two suitable filter materials (Millipore EHWP04700 and Dexter X-1215) were chosen for this investigation. An air sampling procedure was used to obtain several representative samples during the period of monitoring. A non-isolative neutron activation analysis procedure involving multiple neutron irradiation and high resolution gamma-ray spectrometry was used to determine the concentrations of 16 elements found in the airborne particulates in samples collected over a 1-year period from the Buffalo, New York area. Differences from previous studies are due to higher filter efficiency and the particular local industrial workup. The findings of this investigation indicate that in the analysis of the elemental composition of air pollutants, neutron activation techniques can compete well with other analytical methods.