Irradiation of elements from Z = 44 to Z = 82 with 10-MeV protons and application to activation analysis

The sensitivities for the determination of 19 elements from Z = 44 to Z = 82, by means of 10-MeV proton activation, have been calculated from experimentally measured yields for 51 radioisotopes obtained mainly via (p,n) reactions. For an irradiation of 1 h at a beam current of 1 μA, the sensitivities established experimentally are about 0.02-2 p.p.m. for Ru, Pd, Ag, Cd, Sn, Sb, Te and I, 0.5-100 p.p.m. for In, W, Re, Ir, Pt, Au, Hg, Tl and Pb, and 15 p.p.m. for Rh and Ba. Experimental results for the non-destructive analysis of these 19 elements in Al, Ag, Au, Co, Dy, Ho, Ir, Nb, Pr, Rh, Si, Ta and Tb, are presented