Abstract
Instrumental neutron activation analysis by γ-ray spectrometry with a high resolution Ge (Li) detector followed by spectrum analysis with an electronic computer was applied to elemental analysis of a river water sample which was collected in a river water into which pour liquid wastes from a tungsten mine, and the concentrations of 31 elements were determined. Among the elements there were some metallic elements which are regarded as important from the view point of environmental pollution, such as Cd, As, Sn and Cr; it was thus confirmed that such instrumental neutron activation analysis is quite useful for elemental analysis of polluted river water. The Presence of U was found by detecting 239Np. Fluorescence X-ray analysis revealed the presence of Mo and Sr, but the concentrations of these two elements could not be determined by the present activation analysis. In this study we attempted to determine concentrations of as many elements as possible, not limiting to heavy metallic elements. The information on the concentrations of many elements will be useful when comparing the elemental compositions of different river water samples with one another and attempting to realize the characteristic quality of a polluted river water, and therefore may be expected to provide basic data for establishing long term counter-plans against river water pollution.
