IAEA-TECDOC-435 COMPARISON OF NOCLEAR ANALYTICAL METHODS WITH COMPETITIVE METHODS PROCEEDINGS OF AN ADVISORY GROUP MEETING COMPARISON O NUCLEAF NO R ANALYTICAL METHODS WITH COMPETITIVE METHODS ORGANIZEE TH Y DB INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY AND HELD IN OAK RIDGE, 3-7 OCTOBER 1986 A TECHNICAL DOCUMENT ISSUED BY THE INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, VIENNA, 1987 COMPARISO NUCLEAF NO R ANALYTICAL METHODS WITH COMPETITIVE METHODS IAEA, VIENNA, 1987 IAEA-TECDOC-435 Printe IAEe th Austri n Ai y d b a October 1987 PLEASE AWARE B E THAT MISSINE TH ALF GLO PAGE THIN SI S DOCUMENT WERE ORIGINALLY BLANK The IAEA does not normally maintain stocks of reports in this series. However, microfiche copies of these reports can be obtained from IN IS Clearinghouse International Atomic Energy Agency Wagramerstrasse 5 P.O. Box 100 A-1400 Vienna, Austria Orders shoul accompaniee db prepaymeny db f Austriao t n Schillings 100, for e for e chequa th f m th IAEmf o n i o n i r Aeo microfiche service coupons which may be ordered separately from the INIS Clearinghouse. FOREWORD f nucleao e us r e analyticaTh l techniques, especially neutron activation analysis, already 0 yeahavd 5 histor ol a re y behind them. Nuclear methods provided means for reliable trace element analysis in a time when few other trace element analysis methods were available. Therefore the role of nuclear analytical techniques in developing science and technology, certainly have been important. Today several sensitive and accurate, non-nuclear trace element analytical technique e availabl ar w methods ne d e continuouslan ar se y developed. The Agency is supporting the development of nuclear analytical laboratories in its member states. In order to be able to advise the developing countries which methods to use in different applications, it is importan o kno t e presen wth t statu d developmenan s t trend f nucleao s r analytical methods. Whic e theiar h r benefits, drawback d recommendean s d fields of application, compared with other, non-nuclear techniques. In order to get an answer to these questions the Agency convened an Advisory Group Meetin k RidgeOa n i g, Tennessee 7 Octobe3- , r 1986. This volume is the outcome of the presentations and discussions of the meeting. e Agenc e expertTh th s gratefu i yl o contribute al wh s o t l d paperd an s too ke discussions th par n i te chairmath k Oa o . t ,H.He Dr nth .o t Rosd an s Ridge National Laboratory, which hosted the meeting in such an efficient and successful way. EDITORIAL NOTE In preparing this materialpress,the International the for staff of Atomic Energv Agenc\ have mounted and paginated the original manuscripts as submitted by the authors and given some attention presentationthe to The views expressed in the papers, the statements made and the general st) le adopted are the responsibility of the named authors The views do not necessarily reflect those of the govern- ments of the Member States or organizations under whose auspices the manuscripts were produced thisin The bookuse of particular designations countriesof territoriesor does impl\not an\ judgement b) the publisher, the IAEA, as to the legal status of such countries or territories, of their authorities institutions delimitationand the of or theirof boundaries The mention specificof companies theirof or products brandor names docs unpl\not an\ endorsement 01 recommendation on the part of the IAEA Authors themselvesare responsible obtainingfor necessar)the permission reproduceto copyright material from other sources CONTENTS Introduction ..................................................................................................... 7 Statistical evaluation of recorded knowledge in nuclear and other instrumental analytical techniques ......................................................................................9 . T. Braun Discussion ..................................................................................................6 3 . f scientometrico e Us asseso t s s nuclea othed an r r analytical methods .............................7 3 . W.S. Lyon Comments on the establishment of a methodology for the metrological characterization of analytical methods ...................................................................................... 49 E.H. Klehr, J. Tölgyessy Discussion ..................................................................................................7 5 . Plutonium isotopic measurements by gamma-ray spectrometry versus mass spectrometry (abstract only) .............................................................................9 5 . R.L. Mayer, D.A. Rakel Discussion .....................................................................................................0 6 . Uranium determination by fission track counting ....................................................... 61 F.F. Dyer Discussion ..................................................................................................6 6 . Applications of Cerenkov counting: A useful technique for environmental radio-analyses (abstract only) ...........................................................................7 6 . J.S. Eldridge Discussion ................................................................................................... 68 Comparison of isotope dilution analysis with other analytical techniques .......................... 69 J. Tölgyessy, E.H. Klehr Discussion ................................................................................................... 82 The contribution of radiotracers to the development of trace element analysis ................... 83 V. Krivan Discussion ..................................................................................................8 8 . Applicatio isotope th f no e exchange metho f analysido speciative th o t s e determinatiof no phosphoru environmentan i s l samples .................................................................9 8 . N. Ikeda Discussion ................................................................................................... 103 Resin bead methodolog s applieya fueo dt l burn-u fissild pan e inventories ......................5 10 . D.H. Smith, R.L. Walker, J.A. Carter Discussion ..................................................................................................6 11 . A survey of immunoassay techniques for biological analysis ......................................... 117 C.A. Burtis Discussion ................................................................................................... 127 e rol f INATh eo s compareAa conventionao dt l method f analysio s r geologicafo s l sample n Canadi s a ........................................................................................9 12 . E.L. Hoffinan Discussion ................................................................................................... 141 Determination of minor and trace elements in diets using neutron activation, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission and atomic absorption spectrometry (abstract only) ............................................................................................... 143 R. Schelen- Discussion ..................................................................................................4 14 . Presen futurd an t e prospect r neutrofo s n activation analysis compareo dt 7 14 other methods available G Revel Comparison of 14 MeV neutron activation analysis and competitive methods for determination of oxygen, nitrogen, silicon, fluorine and other elements 163 BildW R 8 17 Discussion Nuclear analytical methodElectricaT NT t a s l Communications Laboratories Substoichometnc analysis and its applications 179 T Shigematsu Nuclea7 18 r analytical method standardn i s s certification R M Lindstrom Discussion 193 Analysi f difficulo s t materials Compariso f nucleano d non-nucleaan 5 r 19 r methods C J Pickford, J S Hislop Discussion 200 Trace element anal} sis in biological materials A comparison of neutron activation analysis with other techniques, especially atomic spectroscop} 201 P Schräme! The development of activation analysis in China 213 T Xinhua 7 21 Discussion Neutron activation analf geologicao s }si l sample fren i s e competitio— n 9 21 A case histor} from Finland R Rosenberg Lipponen,M L Vanska 0 23 Discussion 1 23 Summar Conclusiond }an s 7 23 Lis f Participanto t s INTRODUCTION An Advisory Group Meeting (AGM) was held on the 3rd, 4th, 6th, and 7th of Octobe rk Ridge Oa 198 n i 6, Tennesse s attendewa d an y escientistb d s from over ten countries in Europe, Asia, and North America. The purpose of this AGM o examint s e rol wa f th nucleaeo e r method f analysio s s vis-a-vis non-nuclear techniques. Our specific objectives were to evaluate critical parameters associated with various analytical methods, determine the range of application methodse th f o , sugges w criticaho t l analytical technolog e effectivelb n ca y y transferred to developing nations, and most important, counsel the Agency on possible program initiatives that they might establish to encourage such technology transfer. Eac f theso h e objectives f courseo , , encompassea d variet f relateo y d questions r exampleFo . , problems related o analyticat l reference materials, personnel training n evaluatioa d an , f strengtho n d an s deficiencies of key analytical methods were included subjects of discussion. It is clear that the range of topics considered by the AGM was very broad and t verye y results oriented. e meetine formaTh th f o tg consiste f