An Application of Factor Analysis for the Analysis of Osmium and Ruthenium by Neutron Activation Analysis

摘要

Factor analysis was applied to evaluate the multivariate data of gamma-ray spectra. For this purpose, mixed gamma-ray spectra of the two elements (Os and Ru) were obtained from the four ancient coins through radiochemical distillation and counting. The spectra obtained were combined with five standard spectra to produce a data matrix (90O】9). AFA (abstract factor analysis) was applied to the data matrix and two factors were found to be Os and Ru. The Os and Ru contents in the coins were then determined by means of TTFA (target transformation factor analysis). The results showed that TTFA could give more accurate data as compared to the conventional method using one or two gamma ray peaks. Various detection limits, i.e., critical, detection, quantitative limit, were calculated using the method suggested by Currie and the results showed that TTFA is ten times more sensitive than that obtained by the method using one characteristic peak.