Determination of iodine in cereal grains cultivated in Austria and standard reference materials by neutron activation analysis

Trace amounts of iodine in cereal grain samples cultivated at various locations in Austria were determined for the first time in this study, by radiochemical neutron activation analysis. For the dissolution of cereal grain samples and standard reference materials, two procedures, alkaline and acidic methods, were applied in the presence of an iodine carrier. A rapid, simple dissolution procedure with acidic solution was demonstrated. The analytical values in the cereal grains, as well as in standard reference materials, obtained by the different dissolution procedures were in good agreement within one standard deviation. The relative standard deviations for concentrations of 0.1 #mug g-1 of iodine were around 10%.