An accelerator-based Pro
mpt Ga
mma Neutron Activation Analysis (PGNAA) setup has been developed to
measure the concentration of corrosive chloride and sulfate conta
minants in concrete. The Mini
mu
m Detectable Concentration (MDC) li
mit of chlorine and sulfur in the concrete depends upon the
γ-ray used for ele
mental analysis. For
more interfering
γ-rays, the MDC li
mit is higher than that for less interfering
γ-rays. The MDC li
mit of sulfur in concrete
measured for the KFUPM PGNAA setup was calculated to be 0.60±0.19 wt % . The MDC li
mit is equal to the upper li
mit of sulfur concentration in concrete set by the British Standards. The MDC li
mit of chlorine in concrete for the KFUPM PGNAA setup, which was calculated for less interfering 1.165 MeV
γ-rays, was found to be 0.075±0.025 wt % . The lower li
mits of the MDC of chlorine in concrete was 73 % higher than the li
mit set by A
merican Concrete Institute. The li
mit of the MDC can be i
mproved to the desired standard by increasing the intensity of neutron source. For
moreinterfering 5.715 and 6.110 MeV chlorine
γ-rays the MDC li
mit was found to be 2–3 ti
mes larger than that of 1.165 MeV
γ-rays.
When normalized to the same intensity of the neutron source, the MDC limits of chlorine and sulfur in concrete from the KFUPM PGNAA setup are better than MDC limits of chlorine in concrete obtained with the 241Am–Be source-based PGNAA setup. This study has shown that an accelerator-based PGNAA setup can be used in chlorine and sulfur analysis of concrete samples.