Non-Destructive Photon Activation Analysis in Paleontology

Abstract

Paleontological samples are rare and non-renewable, which makes the study of their chemical or physical characteristics require non-destructive methods. Physical characteristics are routinely studied with non-destructive methods; however, chemical studies tend to require destructive methods unless samples are very small or only the surface compositions are of interest. One potential technique for non-destructive elemental analysis is photon activation analysis (PAA). PAA is a versatile, broad-spectrum, multi-element analysis tool with low sensitivities, capable of analyzing large samples without any alteration, preserving the physical characteristics. Recent work has applied PAA to fossils and their source matrices in an attempt to correlate provenance through trace element analysis. PAA was shown to be non-consumptive and able to identify 20+ elements in samples with sub-ppm sensitivities. From that work, several lessons were learned and the non-destructivity of the technique was better characterized. PAA doesn’t have one standardized methodology, as it varies depending on the sample type. As such, from the lessons learned from the previous research, a standard method of applying PAA non-destructively to paleontological samples has been developed and will be presented in the following paper.

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“…19 Since the PAA uses high-energy photons as a source of irradiation, the technique is highly penetrable and allows the bulk analysis of large sampling size 100 g or more without any special consideration compared to 0.5 g or less for NAA. 20 Eke et al have calculated the elemental analysis of sand samples from a clinical electron linear accelerator by photon activation, induced by high energy braking photons at an 18-MV endpoint energy. 21 In another study, Stamatelatos et al explored the possibilities for the large sample photon activation analysis for the use of a 23 MV linear photon source as a multi-element, nondisruptive analysis of the metallurgic tap slurry.…”

“…In most cases, chemical separation does not necessarily require the process, large volumes can be activated and, as is often the case with NAA, the entire sample volume activated without significant matrix absorption interfering 19 . Since the PAA uses high‐energy photons as a source of irradiation, the technique is highly penetrable and allows the bulk analysis of large sampling size 100 g or more without any special consideration compared to 0.5 g or less for NAA 20 . Eke et al have calculated the elemental analysis of sand samples from a clinical electron linear accelerator by photon activation, induced by high energy braking photons at an 18‐MV endpoint energy 21 .…”