The Steinhauser team used instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) to measure trace elements in rock salt. It is a nuclear analytical technique capable of detecting many elements at trace levels in the same sample.
More information on this topic is available in the Georg Steinhauser section.
Basic Principle
When a sample is irradiated with neutrons, some atomic nuclei become radioactive isotopes.
Characteristic gamma emissions from those isotopes can then be measured to identify and quantify elements.
Advantage for Rock Salt
The method enables many trace elements to be screened within a sodium-chloride-rich matrix in a single analytical program.
The Steinhauser study reported a broad element panel across 18 samples using this approach.
Interpreting Results
INAA is powerful for total elemental measurement, but by itself it does not establish mineral host phase or human absorption.
That is why the researchers complemented it with an acid-solubility experiment.
Sources
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