Abstract
Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) or simply neutron activation analysis (NAA) is used to detect and quantify elements in inorganic substances. The technique is extensively employed for provenance studies of archaeological lithics, ceramic, and glass (Speakman and Glascock 2007). By targeting emissions from specific isotopes, simultaneous analysis of major, minor, and trace elements is possible. The detection limits for most elements are in the order of parts per million; sample sizes range from about 30 mg to a few grams. Usually samples are powdered prior to analysis but small archaeological samples have been analyzed whole.
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References
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Malainey, M.E. (2011). Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA or NAA). In: A Consumer's Guide to Archaeological Science. Manuals in Archaeological Method, Theory and Technique. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-5704-7_32
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-5704-7_32
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