Neutron activation analysis of plants as pollution indicators

Abstract

The method of Neutron Activation Analysis has been used in a test case for the development of a technique for using trace elements in plants as pollution indicators for automobile exhaust effects. The plant study in the present work is a pilot program to develop sample collection, preparation, and analysis techniques. The results obtained indicate that natural growth plants can be used successfully as indicators of automobile pollution incorporating the methods of analysis of this study.

This work has been a test case for the computer program, which was used in the VPI&SU Neutron Activation Analysis Laboratory and was developed during the course of this study. The peak finding and area calculation routines incorporate uncomplicated techniques which have been shown by the test data to produce consistent results. A versatile feature of the program is that it can determine simultaneously, both . qualitatively and quantitatively, the presence of the more than 60 different elements contained in the program library.

It has been shown that neutron activation analysis, employed in conjunction with the computer program described herein, using the analytical techniques developed in the VPI&SU Laboratory can provide an effective tool for defining the environmental impact area of automobile traffic.