Analysis of aerosol samples by INAA method using long-term activation

Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) is very well suited for the determination of trace elements in atmospheric aerosols. A variant of this method using short activation allows the nondestructive determination of 14 elements (Al,Ba,Br,Ca,Cl,Cu,Dy,I,In,Sr,Mn,Ti,U,V) in aerosols. The specificity and accuracy of the INAA procedure was tested by the analysis of the reference urban aerosol SRM 1648 (manufactured by NBS/USA). In order to investigate the possibilities of applying this method for the analysis of real samples of the background aerosols, membrane filters of Czechoslovak make (SYNPOR 4) were also analysed which serve aerosol sampling in Czechoslovakia for routine analyses. The results obtained show that impurities present in the filter material may affect the results of the analysis of real aerosols practically only in the detection of Cl and Cu, less in the detection of Ca. Of the elements which are important for air pollution control and which activated form short-lived nuclides in the nuclear reactor, INAA may mainly be used to determine V and Mn in aerosols trapped on filters. The method studied suitably completes routine procedures used for the analysis of aerosols based on long activation. (author)