Determination of Iron and Uranium in High Purity Lead Foil by Neutron Activation Analysis.

Abstract

The sensitivity of neutron activation analysis for Fe and U was extended by employing more sensitive detection methods, more rigorous decontamination chemistry, and higher neutron fluxes. Uranium was determined by measuring the Np239 activity arising from the decay of U/syo 239/. Iron was determined by measuring simultaneously the Fe55 and Fe59 activation products. The lead foils contained 0.56 to 3.0 ppm iron and 0.91 to 0.020 ppb uranium. Minimum sensitivity was calculated to be 0.02 ppm iron and 0.006 ppb uranium in 100 mg of the foil. No error arose from the interfering reaction of Co59(n,p)Fe59.