The application and development of k0-standardization method of neutron activation analysis at Dalat research reactor

In recent years the k(o)-NAA method has been applied and developed at the 500 kW Dalat research reactor, which includes (1) the establishment of a PC database of ko-NAA-related nuclear parameters, e.g., radionuclide produced, half-lives, k(o)-factors, Q(o), (E) over bar (gamma), E-gamma, etc; the access to the database is able by a k(o)-NAA software or by manual; (2) the detection efficiency calibration of gamma spectrometers used in k(o)-NAA, (3) the determination of reactor neutron spectrum parameters such as alpha and f factors and neutron fluxes in the irradiation channels, and (4) the validation of the developed k(o)-NAA procedure by analyzing some SRMs, namely Coal Fly Ash (KIST-1633b), Bovine Liver (KIST-1577b) and IAEA-Soi17. The analytical results showed the deviations between experimental and certified values were mostly less than 15% with most Z-scores lower than 2. The k(o)-NAA procedure established at the Dalat research reactor has been regarded as a reliable standardization method of NAA and as available for practical applications, in particularly for airborne particulate and crude oil samples.