Ядерна фізика та енергетика Nuclear Physics and Atomic Energy   ISSN: 1818-331X (Print), 2074-0565 (Online)   Publisher: Institute for Nuclear Research of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine   Languages: Ukrainian, English   Periodicity: 4 times per year   Open access peer reviewed journal

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A. Hamid¹, Hesham Shahbunder<sup>2

1</sup>Department of Radioactive Environmental Pollution, Hot Laboratories Center, Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo, Egypt
²Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

Abstract: Prompt γ-neutron activation analysis (PGNAA) using the k₀ method by employing the 1951.1 keV γ-line of the ³⁵Cl(n, γ)³⁶Cl thermal neutron reaction as monostandard comparator was described. The method has been applied and evaluated using the anti-Compton prompt γ-ray neutron activation analysis facility using ²⁵²Cf neutron source with a neutron flux of 6.16·10⁶ n·cm^-2·s^-1. A well-type HPGe detector as the main detector surrounded by NaI(Tl) guard detector has been arranged to investigate the performance of the Compton suppression spectrometer using the simplified slow circuit. The properties of neutron flux were determined by MCNP code calculations. In order to determine the efficiency curve of an HPGe detector, the prompt γ-rays from chlorine were used and an exponential curve was fitted. AC-PGNAA method has been used for the determination of high neutron absorbing elements like Cd, Sm and Gd as well as 20 light and heavy elements (Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, K, Ca, Ti, V, Mn, Sc, Fe, Co, Zn, La, Rb, Cs, As and Th) in standard reference materials (IAEA, Soil-7) and ten sediment samples collected from El-Manzala lake in northern part of Egypt. The reference material IAEA, Soil-7 was analyzed for data validation, and good agreement between the experimental values and the certified values have been obtained.

Keywords: k₀-PGNAA, AC-PGNAA, ²⁵²Cf neutron source, water pollution, MCNP code, self shielding.

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