Optimization of a fast INAA method for determination of trace concentrations of chlorine in zirconium based alloy and oxide samples

A simple, fast and sensitive instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) method has been optimized for the determination of trace concentrations of chlorine in five types of samples namely zirconium oxide, zircaloy 2, zircaloy 4, Zr–Nb alloy and Zr–Sn alloy samples. The samples were neutron irradiated for short duration (1 min) using pneumatic carrier facility of Dhruva research reactor at a neutron flux of 5 × 1013 cm−2 s−1 and measurement of 1,642.7 keV gamma-ray of 38Cl was carried out using a 40 % HPGe detector coupled to 8 k MCA. Concentrations of chlorine were found to be in the range of 9–575 mg kg−1. The 3σ detection limits of chlorine were in the range of 0.1–2.7 mg kg−1 for various samples.