Determination of 2,4-D in aqueous solution by neutron activation analysis

A method based on neutron activation analysis was developed for the determi nation of fractions of milligrams of 2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid ) in aqueous solution in laboratory tests. The indirect determination of 2, 4-D was based on the quantification of chlorine, Cl-38, produced by neutron activation. The range of application was 0.01-100 mg.l(-1). No loss of Cl- 38 by chemical effects of the nuclear reaction was found. The advantages of the proposed method include high precision and sensitivity of determinatio n. Results were compared with those obtained by UV-Vis spectrophotometry, w here concentrations less than 1 mg.l(-1) were not detected.