DETERMINATION OF HG AND OTHER TRACE-ELEMENTS IN SOIL USING NEUTRON-ACTIVATION ANALYSIS

In the early 1950's, a federal facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, used a process that required the use of Hg to produce Li-8. It was disclose d to the public in 1983 that about 2.4 millions pounds of Hg had been released into the ecosystem. The primary route of mercury into the env ironment was a stream. East Fork Poplar Creek, whose head waters are i n the vicinity of the plant. As part of a study to determine the distr ibution of Hg as well as As, Cr, Sb, Se, U, and Zn along the flood pla ins of the creek, a procedure using neutron activation analysis was de veloped and is described below. The procedure, typical sample analysis results for Hg, and quality assurance and control data are discussed in this paper.