Activation method of determining Mo, Al, Ca, Cl, Mn, Na, and K in soil- plant samples

With the use of a high-resolution germanium--lithium semiconductor detector it is possible to run activation analyses on series of 40 to 50 soil samples with the simultaneous determination of Al, Ca, Mn, Cl, Na, and K. Samples of 100 to 300 mg from soil and various parts of the cotton plant were irradiated in the vertical channel of the VVR-S reactor at a flux of 10/sup 12/ neutrons cm/ sup -2/ sec/sup -1/ for a period of 8 to 10 min. The samples were encased in cadmium to determine molybdenum. Quantitative determination of the elements was carried out by noting the gamma intensities at the following energies: /sup 101/ Mo(1021 keV)/sup 28/Al (1780 keV), /sup 49/Ca (3083 keV, 2061 keV), /sup 38/Cl (2160 keV), /sup 46/Mn (847 ke V), /sup 42/K (1524 keV) and /sup 24/Na (1368 keV, 2750 keV). In determining aluminum the contribution from the interferring reactions /sup 28/Si(np)/sup 28/Al and /sup 31/P(n alpha )/sup 28/Al was taken into account. The actual sensitivity of the method in determining Mo was 2.8 x 10/sup -5/ g/g, Al 8.4 x 10/sup -7/ g/g, Ca 7.5 x 10/sup -4/g/g, Mn 1.2 x 10/sup - 8/ g/g, Cl 2.1 x 10/sup -7/more » g/g, K 7.1 x 10/sup -4/ g/g, and Na 5 x 10/sup -8/ g/ g. The results of analyses on various parts of the cotton plant showed that, during sickness, the transfer of manganese from plant organs to fruiting elements was impaired and that the concentration of manganese in the leaves, roots, and other organs increased. (TTT)« less