Neutron activation analysis of essential and toxic elements in sludge from city water treatment

Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) method was used to determine the concentrations of 38 elements (Ag, Al, As, Au, Ba, Br, Ca, Ce, Cl, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Eu, Fe, Hf, Hg, K, La, Lu, Mn, Na, Ni, Rb, Sb, Sc, Se, Sm, Sr, Ta, Tb, Th, Ti, U, V, W, Yb, Zn) in three sludge samples resulting after city water treatment (WT-L, WT-M, WT-H). These samples were provided by the Institute of Radioecology and Applied Nuclear Techniques from Kosice (Slovakia), in the frame of an intercomparison exercise. Our laboratory data are presented, with respect to the intercomparison values, to emphasize the analytical performances obtained by INAA at WWR-S reactor of NIPNE in Bucharest. (author)