[Potential and limitations of neutron activation analysis methods for measuring elements of toxicological and environmental interest].

Merits and limits of neutron activation analysis are presented for the various classes of biological and environmental matrices and depending on the analytes to be quantified. In this framework the cases of mercury, cadmium, copper, arsenic, chromium, iodine are discussed in detail with particular reference to the most frequent analytical interferences and procedural pitfalls in sample pretreatment.