Photon activation analysis for river sediment sample using a 60 MeV linearelectron accelerator

The feasibility of photon activation analysis (PAA) for river sediment has been demonstrated using a powerful linear electron accelerator at Rensselae r Polytechnic Institute. The sample was a standard sediment material (SRM 1 646a Estuarine sediment) from NIST. Electron energy at 50 MeV and a tantalu m target are used. Gamma-spectroscopy was performed with an HPGe detector. Sensitivities for Ca, Ti, As, Ph, Ce, Ni and Rb were obtained. The sensitiv ities were 14.7 mu g for Ca, 21.5 mu g for Ti, 0.9 mu g for As, 3.9 mu g fo r Ph, 1.1 mu g for Ce, 1.6 mu g for Ni and 3.5 mu g for Rb. A large amount of Zr was found in SRM 1646a although it is not listed by NIST.