A future for nuclear analytical techniques? Why not?

Full text: NAA and XRF are not anymore the only techniques for trace element determination in solid materials. Laser ablation high resolution ICP-MS and solid-state sampling AAS are now commercially available, which makes these techniques valuable work-horses in many fields of science. Laser-ablation ICP-MS has similar position-sensitive capabilities as most PIXE set-ups. In general, sensitivities with these techniques are often much better than with NAA and XRF, which enhances their attractiveness. And there are more dark clouds above nuclear analytical techniques. University research reactors face the closing of their facilities because of reallocations of university funds to more contemporary sciences such as molecular biology and nano technology. Several pioneers in NAA have already publicly turned their back to technique as being mature, without scientific challenges and for loosing ground even for routine applications. Their view can not entirely be denied since the scientific creativity of many groups operating NAA, XRF and PIXE do not bring them further than applications in the same fields as in which these pioneers demonstrated these techniques long ago: air pollution studies, sediment analyses, hair analysis, etc. The social-economical impact of these fields is in general too low to obtain respect and sufficient financial resources for survival. Moreover, scientific publications on these applications are mostly in journals with low science citation impact factors. Laboratories operating nuclear analytical techniques (NAA, (TR)XRF, PIXE) need to use their creativity in finding ways for participation in the scientific areas that are booming at the beginning of this 21st century such as nano technology, cancer research or genomics. It requires an open mind on the strengths and weaknesses of the techniques, and a departure of traditional views on measurement, analysis and even (for NAA) on other sources for activation. The unique features of using radiotracers and activatable tracers need again to be explored. New strategies are also needed for outreach and publications. Some examples of opportunities for nuclear analytical techniques in the above mentioned modern fields will be given. This contribution is meant to evoke the various groups that are (still) active with these techniques. (author)