Importance of INAA in environmental research

In studies of origin and fates of trace elements, it is advantageous to be able to analyze samples for a wide spectrum of elements with a high sensitivity and accuracy. This condition is best satisfied with instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) since it is one of the most sensitive, selective, and reliable multi-element analysis techniques available. In spite of these advantages in environmental studies, use of the technique has been generally limited because of the unavailability of research reactors and experienced researchers. Trace element concentrations on airborne particles have provided invaluable information about the locations and contributions of different types of pollution or natural sources at a given receptor site. Examples of these atmospheric signatures include V, Ni and some rare earth elements (REE) as indicators of oil combustion; Pb and Br for motor vehicles in urban areas; and S, Se, and As for coal-fire power plants. It has been shown that 'marker trace elements' can be very effective tools in source attribution in groundwater as well as in atmospheric studies