Improving a PGNAA Technique to Detect Heavy Metals in Solid Samples

Ghada Almisned; Tariq Al-Abdullah; Fatai Liadi; Adil Hawsawi

doi:10.3390/app12083714

Improving a PGNAA Technique to Detect Heavy Metals in Solid Samples

Ghada Almisned
, Tariq Al-Abdullah^*
, Fatai Liadi
, Adil Hawsawi

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

Prompt gamma-ray neutron activation analysis (PGNAA) is a useful approach for determining the concentrations of a variety of elements in natural materials, either online or in situ, without affecting their chemical forms in matter. The current research aimed to improve the yield of a portable PGNAA setup using a dc beam of 2.5 MeV neutrons and a CeBr₃ detector to record gamma rays from neutron inelastic scatterings. It is impossible to avoid the superimposition of heavy metal gamma rays and those from the detector’s element. However, tests were carried out to improve the signal-to-background ratio. By assessing the minimum detectable concentrations (MDC) of chrome, titanium, and zinc in soil samples, the effectiveness of the new optimization was confirmed. The study shows an improvement in the MDC values.

Original language	English
Article number	3714
Journal	Applied Sciences (Switzerland)
Volume	12
Issue number	8
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3390/app12083714
State	Published - 1 Apr 2022

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Keywords

2.5 MeV neutrons
CeBr detector
minimum detection concentrations
neutron inelastic scattering

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Materials Science
Instrumentation
General Engineering
Process Chemistry and Technology
Computer Science Applications
Fluid Flow and Transfer Processes

Access to Document

10.3390/app12083714

Cite this

@article{2a0f2ec86d55464ca35c5f98e2fd52e3,

title = "Improving a PGNAA Technique to Detect Heavy Metals in Solid Samples",

abstract = "Prompt gamma-ray neutron activation analysis (PGNAA) is a useful approach for determining the concentrations of a variety of elements in natural materials, either online or in situ, without affecting their chemical forms in matter. The current research aimed to improve the yield of a portable PGNAA setup using a dc beam of 2.5 MeV neutrons and a CeBr3 detector to record gamma rays from neutron inelastic scatterings. It is impossible to avoid the superimposition of heavy metal gamma rays and those from the detector{\textquoteright}s element. However, tests were carried out to improve the signal-to-background ratio. By assessing the minimum detectable concentrations (MDC) of chrome, titanium, and zinc in soil samples, the effectiveness of the new optimization was confirmed. The study shows an improvement in the MDC values.",

keywords = "2.5 MeV neutrons, CeBr detector, minimum detection concentrations, neutron inelastic scattering",

author = "Ghada Almisned and Tariq Al-Abdullah and Fatai Liadi and Adil Hawsawi",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.",

year = "2022",

month = apr,

day = "1",

doi = "10.3390/app12083714",

language = "English",

volume = "12",

journal = "Applied Sciences (Switzerland)",

issn = "2076-3417",

publisher = "Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)",

number = "8",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Improving a PGNAA Technique to Detect Heavy Metals in Solid Samples

AU - Almisned, Ghada

AU - Al-Abdullah, Tariq

AU - Liadi, Fatai

AU - Hawsawi, Adil

PY - 2022/4/1

Y1 - 2022/4/1

N2 - Prompt gamma-ray neutron activation analysis (PGNAA) is a useful approach for determining the concentrations of a variety of elements in natural materials, either online or in situ, without affecting their chemical forms in matter. The current research aimed to improve the yield of a portable PGNAA setup using a dc beam of 2.5 MeV neutrons and a CeBr3 detector to record gamma rays from neutron inelastic scatterings. It is impossible to avoid the superimposition of heavy metal gamma rays and those from the detector’s element. However, tests were carried out to improve the signal-to-background ratio. By assessing the minimum detectable concentrations (MDC) of chrome, titanium, and zinc in soil samples, the effectiveness of the new optimization was confirmed. The study shows an improvement in the MDC values.

AB - Prompt gamma-ray neutron activation analysis (PGNAA) is a useful approach for determining the concentrations of a variety of elements in natural materials, either online or in situ, without affecting their chemical forms in matter. The current research aimed to improve the yield of a portable PGNAA setup using a dc beam of 2.5 MeV neutrons and a CeBr3 detector to record gamma rays from neutron inelastic scatterings. It is impossible to avoid the superimposition of heavy metal gamma rays and those from the detector’s element. However, tests were carried out to improve the signal-to-background ratio. By assessing the minimum detectable concentrations (MDC) of chrome, titanium, and zinc in soil samples, the effectiveness of the new optimization was confirmed. The study shows an improvement in the MDC values.

KW - 2.5 MeV neutrons

KW - CeBr detector

KW - minimum detection concentrations

KW - neutron inelastic scattering

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85128468640

U2 - 10.3390/app12083714

DO - 10.3390/app12083714

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85128468640

SN - 2076-3417

VL - 12

JO - Applied Sciences (Switzerland)

JF - Applied Sciences (Switzerland)

IS - 8

M1 - 3714

ER -

Improving a PGNAA Technique to Detect Heavy Metals in Solid Samples

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this