Solvent background subtraction for small-angle neutron scattering from samples in aqueous solution

A modification of the approach of May, Ibel & Haas [J. Appl. Cryst. (1982). 15, 15-19] is used. Different, neutron transmissions of solution and solvent are attributed to different hydrogen concentrations and hence different levels of incoherent scattering. On this basis a correction is applied to the measured solvent scattering. Two forms of correction may be used, depending on the reliability of transmission measurements. The method has been successfully applied to highly concentrated (250 mg ml^-1) protein samples.