The determination of uranium in food samples by Compton suppression epithermal neutron activation analysis

Eight foods common to the Nigerian diet were analyzed for trace amounts of uranium using epithermal neutron activation analysis. Food sample sizes of roughly one-half gram, irradiated for 10 min, with a 15 min decay time and counting time for 10 min yielded detection limits between 0.02 and 0.04 Bq/kg. Dried milk, chicken pasta, spaghetti and biscuits had less than detectable amounts of uranium, while sorghum, wheat and brown beans contained 0.73, 0.23 and 0.16 Bq/kg, respectively.