Methods of Analysis for the Noble Gases

VIII. SUMMARY

The importance of the noble gases in science and technology cannot be emphasized too much. It is said that man would never have gotten to the moon without helium. Perhaps that is an overstatement, but the noble gases are becoming a more vital part of our society as time passes. With the advent of modern analytical instrumentation, analyses of noble gases have become highly precise and rapid. Techniques and methods have been developed for most analytical requirements in science and industry. Pioneering work continues to be done in those areas associated with low level radioactive noble gases formed in nature and fission product noble gas, both stable and radioactive. With the current emphasis on ecology, environmental protection, and nuclear power, significant further advancements can be anticipated in the detection and identification of trace radioactive noble gas species and in the measurement of their properties, activities, and concentrations.