CHARACTERIZATION OF THE CADMIUM LINED IRRADIATION CHANNEL OF THE NIGERIA RESEARCH REACTOR-1 (NIRR-1) AND ITS APPLICATION FOR ELEMENTAL DETERMINATION IN SOME LEGUMES.
CHARACTERIZATION OF THE CADMIUM LINED IRRADIATION CHANNEL OF THE NIGERIA RESEARCH REACTOR-1 (NIRR-1) AND ITS APPLICATION FOR ELEMENTAL DETERMINATION IN SOME LEGUMES.
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Date
2015-06
Authors
SHEYIN, Fidelis Tachio
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Abstract
The epithermal neutron shape factor(α) and the epithermal neutron flux(φe) were determined in the permanent cadmium lined irradiation channel of the NIRR-1. The value of α that was determined by the cadmium covered multimonitor method using the monitor set Al-0.1%Au, Zr and Zn thin foils and Mo thin wire using an iterative process with MS Excel was found to be -0.137±0.018. The epithermal neutron flux using the activity of 198Au in the Al-0.1% Au thin foil in the monitor set irradiated for α determination was found to be (4.51±0.01)×109 n/cm2.s. The high negative value of α corresponds to a hardened( poorly thermalized) epithermal neutron spectrum in the cadmium lined irradiation channel of the NIRR-1.
The result of the α value was used in the single comparator method of ENAA(ko-ENAA) for the determination of the concentrations of elements in the SRM NIST 1515 Apple leaves using Al-0.1% Au thin foil as the single comparator. The concentrations of the elements Sm and Br with high Qo values were determined in the NIST 1515 Apple leaves and are in good agreement with the certified values. Thus, the ko-ENAA method is a reliable standardization method for the analysis of the samples of legumes in the cadmium lined irradiation channel of the NIRR-1.
The ko-ENAA and thermal NAA methods were applied to elemental analysis of the food legumes cow peas, soya beans and groundnuts. The standard reference material NIST 1515 Apple leaves was used for quality control. The results show that the elements Se, Br and Rb with high Qo values in samples of legumes were better analysed by the ko-ENAA method in the Cd lined irradiation channel. The elements Na, K, Zn, La and Sc with low Qo values are better analyzed by the relative method of thermal NAA. The elements Br and Sm have high Qo values and can be determined by the ko-ENAA and thermal NAA methods.
Description
A DISSERTSTION SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY,
ZARIA, NIGERIA
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN PHYSICS.
DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY,
ZARIA, NIGERIA
Keywords
The epithermal neutron shape factor(α) and the epithermal neutron flux(φe) were determined in the permanent cadmium lined irradiation channel of the NIRR-1. The value of α that was determined by the cadmium covered multimonitor method using the monitor set Al-0.1%Au, Zr and Zn thin foils and Mo thin wire using an iterative process with MS Excel was found to be -0.137±0.018. The epithermal neutron flux using the activity of 198Au in the Al-0.1% Au thin foil in the monitor set irradiated for α determination was found to be (4.51±0.01)×109 n/cm2.s. The high negative value of α corresponds to a hardened( poorly thermalized) epithermal neutron spectrum in the cadmium lined irradiation channel of the NIRR-1. The result of the α value was used in the single comparator method of ENAA(ko-ENAA) for the determination of the concentrations of elements in the SRM NIST 1515 Apple leaves using Al-0.1% Au thin foil as the single comparator. The concentrations of the elements Sm and Br with high Qo values were determined in the NIST 1515 Apple leaves and are in good agreement with the certified values. Thus, the ko-ENAA method is a reliable standardization method for the analysis of the samples of legumes in the cadmium lined irradiation channel of the NIRR-1. The ko-ENAA and thermal NAA methods were applied to elemental analysis of the food legumes cow peas, soya beans and groundnuts. The standard reference material NIST 1515 Apple leaves was used for quality control. The results show that the elements Se, Br and Rb with high Qo values in samples of legumes were better analysed by the ko-ENAA method in the Cd lined irradiation channel. The elements Na, K, Zn, La and Sc with low Qo values are better analyzed by the relative method of thermal NAA. The elements Br and Sm have high Qo values and can be determined by the ko-ENAA and thermal NAA methods,, CADMIUM LINED,, IRRADIATION CHANNEL,, NIGERIA, RESEARCH REACTOR-1 (NIRR-1),, APPLICATION,, ELEMENTAL DETERMINATION,, SOME LEGUMES,