Improvements in gamma-activation analysis measurements

Abstract

A method and system for determining the concentration of one or more target elements in a sample is disclosed, using gamma activation analysis comprising: simultaneously irradiating the sample and a reference material containing at least two reference elements with X-rays; detecting deactivation gamma rays from the irradiated sample and the irradiated reference material; and determining the concentration of the target element(s) in the sample by correcting the number of deactivation gamma rays detected from any one of the target elements present in the irradiated sample based on the number of deactivation gamma rays detected from the at least two reference elements, wherein the at least two reference elements have a variation in activation rate over a predefined X-ray endpoint energy range that differs from each other.