Multielement analysis of human hair reference material by instrumental neutron activation analysis

A Human Hair (NIES No. 5) as an environmental reference material prepared by the National Institute for Environmental Studies of Japan (NIES) was analyzed by an instrumental neutron activation method. The human hair samples (ca. 200∼500 mg) were irradiated for 2 min or 5 h at Musashi Institute of Technology Research Reactor. The activated samples were measured by four gamma-ray spectrometories, namely a spectrometry using a coaxial Ge detector, anticoincidence and coincidence counting spectrometries using a coaxial Ge detector, and a well-type NaI (Tl) detector, and a low energy photon spectrometry (LEPS) using a planer Ge detector, to determine as many trace elements as possible with high sensitivity. Concentrations of 43 elements (Na, Mg, Al, Si, S, Cl, K, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Br, Rb, Sr, Ag, Cd, Sn, Sb, I, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Yb, Hf, Ta, Au, Hg, Th, U) were determined by these measurements. The analyzed values of many elements except Sr were in good agreement with NIES certified values determined by nine different analytical methods. (author)