Large sample neutron activation analysis avoids representative sub-sampling and sample preparation difficulties: An added value for forensic analysis

Abstract

Large sample neutron activation analysis avoids representative sub-sampling and sample preparation difficulties: An added value for forensic analysis. Forensic Chemistry,

Ion beam analysis (IBA) and instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) for forensic characterisation of authentic Viagra® and of sildenafil-based illegal products

“…IBA results could be theoretically affected by surface contamination of items (a reasonable hypothesis when dealing with illegal products), INAA avoids representative sub-sampling and sample preparation difficulties, providing results from the bulk of the material. IBA is perfectly suitable for discriminating between authentic Viagra® and illegal sildenafil-based products and surface contaminants makes this job easier but when collecting information for chemical profiling, the INAA bulk approach is definitely an added value for forensic analysis, as expected based on already published research [28].…”

Interpol review of glass and paint evidence 2016-2019

“…In 2018, Bode et al. [ 90 ] discovered that Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) can analyze large samples without need of pre-treatments. This allows less error or contamination to occur.…”

Gold content determination in small core-samples by instrumental neutron activation analysis

“…Comparing with the methods above, highsensitive thermal neutron INAA (σ 0 = 98. 7 barn, 197 Au(n, γ) 198 Au), taking account of its advantages [5,13,14], seems being the most suitable method to analyze solid volumetric samples for Au content provided neutron self-shielding and gamma-ray self-absorption by the samples are considered, and the corrections for sample size deviation from the "point source" during irradiation and counting are made [15]. Different approaches both semi-empirical and theoretical are developed to evaluate and account these corrections mainly for the regularshaped (cylindrical) samples [16,17].…”