XRF application

Owing to their superior fluorescent yield, heavy elements ordinarily yield considerably more intense XRF bands than the light elements. This feature can be exploited to determine the concentration of inorganic species in a sample, or the concentration of a compound that contains a heavy element in some matrix. Many potential XRF applications have never been developed owing to the rise of atomic spectroscopic methods, particularly inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry [74]. Nevertheless, under the right set of circumstances, XRF analysis can be profitably employed. 

ED spectrometers have no moving parts and have benefited extensively from the miniaturization that has taken place in integrated circuit technology. To an increasing extent, ED-XRF instruments can be adapted to XRF applications in a much more flexible manner than WD spectrometers. There are a number of reasons for this flexibility, which may be summarized as follows ... 

With these features, the overall resolution of a Si(Li) detector and pulse processing system used in XRF applications measured as the full-width at halfmaximum (FWHM) of the Mn K-L2,s (Ka) line at 5.9 keV is typically 140-155 eV (noting that < 120 eV FWHM is technically feasible). 

As an example of the many setups available at SR sources, a brief description will be given of the ID18F configuration at ESRF, Grenoble, which is specifically devoted to p-XRF applications. Some other SR installations exploit p-XRF as a dedicated beamline, some others use it in combination with other applications. 

X-ray fluorescence (XRF) applications require detectors with ultra-high energy resolution. The primary detectors fulfilling this requirement that are currently available are semiconductor radiation detectors. These devices are often referred to as solid state detectors because their origin lies in the development of materials for transistor technology. They are the detectors of choice for virtually all work in nuclear spectroscopy. 

For exposure of reasons of observable discrepancy of results of the analysis simulated experiment with application synthetic reference samples of aerosols [1]. The models have demonstrated absence of significant systematic errors in results XRF. While results AAA and FMA depend on sort of chemical combination of an elements, method of an ashing of a material and mass of silicic acid remaining after an ashing of samples. The investigations performed have shown that silicic acid adsorbs up to 40 % (rel.) ions of metals. The coefficient of a variation V, describing effect of the indicated factors on results of the analysis, varies %) for Mn and Fe from 5 up to 20, for Cu - from 10 up to 40, for Pb - from 10 up to 70, for Co the ambassador of a dry ashing of samples - exceeds 50. At definition Cr by a method AAA the value V reaches 70 %, if element presences an atmosphere in the form of Cr O. At photometric definition Cr (VI) the value V is equal 40%, when the element is present at aerosols in the form of chromates of heavy metals. 

Over the last seventeen year s the Analytical center at our Institute amassed the actual material on the application of XRF method to the quantitative determination of some major (Mg, Al, P, S, Cl, K, Ti, Mn, Fe) and trace (V, Cr, Co, Ni, Zn, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ba, La, Ce, Pb, Th, U) element contents [1, 2]. This paper presents the specific features of developed techniques for the determination of 25 element contents in different types of rocks using new Biaiker Pioneer automated spectrometer connected to Intel Pentium IV. The special features of X-ray fluorescence analysis application to the determination of analyzed elements in various types of rocks are presented. The softwai e of this new X-ray spectrometer allows to choose optimal calibration equations and the coefficients for accounting for line overlaps by Equant program and to make a mathematic processing of the calibration ai ray of CRMs measured by the Loader program. 

The principle application of XRF thin-film analysis is in the simultaneous determination of composition and thickness. The technique has been used for the routine analysis of single-layer films since 1977 and multiple-layer films since 1986. Two main sources of publications in the fields are the annual volumes of Advances in X-Ray Analysis by Plenum Press, New York, and the Journal of X-Ray Spectrometry by Heyden and Sons, London. Typical examples on the analysis of single-layer films and multiple-layer films are used to illustrate the capabilities of the technique. 

The set of possible dependent properties and independent predictor variables, i.e. the number of possible applications of predictive modelling, is virtually boundless. A major application is in analytical chemistry, specifically the development and application of quantitative predictive calibration models, e.g. for the simultaneous determination of the concentrations of various analytes in a multi-component mixture where one may choose from a large arsenal of spectroscopic methods (e.g. UV, IR, NIR, XRF, NMR). The emerging field of process analysis,... 

Braun and Richter [923] have described an application of CE in additive analysis, namely quantitative analysis of heat stabilisers in PVC, such as Irgastab 17A and 18 MOK-N, which are metal-based (in the past usually Cd, Ba and Pb, now nontoxic Ca, Zn and Sn). Quantitative metal analysis is of interest for PVC recycling purposes. Various alternative approaches are possible for such quantitative analysis, such as XRF [924], polarog-raphy [925] and AAS [923], The performance of AAS, CE and complexometric titrations in the analysis of the heavy metal content in PVC was compared [923]. For all methods investigated the metals must be separated from the polymer and transferred into an aqueous phase. 

Applications Basic methods for the determination of halogens in polymers are fusion with sodium carbonate (followed by determination of the sodium halide), oxygen flask combustion and XRF. Crompton [21] has reported fusion with sodium bicarbonate for the determination of traces of chlorine in PE (down to 5 ppm), fusion with sodium bisulfate for the analysis of titanium, iron and aluminium in low-pressure polyolefins (at 1 ppm level), and fusion with sodium peroxide for the complexometric determination using EDTA of traces of bromine in PS (down to 100ppm). Determination of halogens in plastics by ICP-MS can be achieved using a carbonate fusion procedure, but this will result in poor recoveries for a number of elements [88]. A sodium peroxide fusion-titration procedure is capable of determining total sulfur in polymers in amounts down to 500 ppm with an accuracy of 5% [89]. 

Different analytical procedures have been developed for direct atomic spectrometry of solids applicable to inorganic and organic materials in the form of powders, granulate, fibres, foils or sheets. For sample introduction without prior dissolution, a sample can also be suspended in a suitable solvent. Slurry techniques have not been used in relation to polymer/additive analysis. The required amount of sample taken for analysis typically ranges from 0.1 to 10 mg for analyte concentrations in the ppm and ppb range. In direct solid sampling method development, the mass of sample to be used is determined by the sensitivity of the available analytical lines. Physical methods are direct and relative instrumental methods, subjected to matrix-dependent physical and nonspectral interferences. Standard reference samples may be used to compensate for systematic errors. The minimum difficulties cause INAA, SNMS, XRF (for thin samples), TXRF and PIXE. 

Alternatively, fundamental parameter methods (FPM) may be used to simulate analytical calibrations for homogeneous materials. From a theoretical point of view, there is a wide choice of equivalent fundamental algorithms for converting intensities to concentrations in quantitative XRF analysis. The fundamental parameters approach was originally proposed by Criss and Birks [239]. A number of assumptions underlie the application of theoretical methods, namely that the specimens be thick, flat and homogeneous, and that, for calibration purposes, the concentrations of all the elements in the reference material be known (having been determined by alternative methods). The classical formalism proposed by Criss and Birks [239] is equivalent to the fundamental influence coefficient formalisms (see ref. [232]). In contrast to empirical influence coefficient methods, in which the experimental intensities from reference materials are used to compute the values of the coefficients, the fundamental influence coefficient approach calculates... 

XRF nowadays provides accurate concentration data at major and low trace levels for nearly all the elements in a wide variety of materials. Hardware and software advances enable on-line application of the fundamental approach in either classical or influence coefficient algorithms for the correction of absorption and enhancement effects. Vendors software packages, such as QuantAS (ARL), SSQ (Siemens), X40, IQ+ and SuperQ (Philips), are precalibrated analytical programs, allowing semiquantitative to quantitative analysis for elements in any type of (unknown) material measured on a specific X-ray spectrometer without standards or specific calibrations. The basis is the fundamental parameter method for calculation of correction coefficients for matrix elements (inter-element influences) from fundamental physical values such as absorption and secondary fluorescence. UniQuant (ODS) calibrates instrumental sensitivity factors (k values) for 79 elements with a set of standards of the pure element. In this approach to inter-element effects, it is not necessary to determine a calibration curve for each element in a matrix. Calibration of k values with pure standards may still lead to systematic errors for unknown polymer samples. UniQuant provides semiquantitative XRF analysis [242]. 

Applications X-ray fluorescence is widely used for direct examination of polymeric materials (analysis of additives, catalyst residues, etc.) from research to recycling, through production and quality control, to troubleshooting. Many problems meet the concentration range in which conventional XRF is strong, namely from ppm upwards. Table 8.42 is merely indicative of the presence of certain additive classes corresponding to elemental analysis element combinations are obviously more specific for a given additive. It should be considered that some 60 atomic elements may be found in polymeric formulations. The XRF technique does not provide any structural information about the analytes detected the technique also has limited utility when... 

Due to the different working principles of WDXRF and EDXRF, the applications differ strongly (Table 8.43). Simultaneous WDXRF with ten channels (elements) and increased sensitivity for the low atomic number elements (e.g. a few ppm of phosphorous in a low atomic number matrix) has been used for QC of polymer granules [252], To detect elements at trace levels (ppm-ppt), generally the special XRF modes, mainly EDXRF techniques, are applied like TXRF, SR-XRF or pXRF. Detection limits with SR-XRF are now at the attogram level. 

XRF can also be used for measuring the thickness of very thin metallic coatings. The applications of XRF have been reviewed [253]. For further applications of XRF in in-polymer additive analysis, see also ref. [23]. 

Principles and Characteristics Particle-induced X-ray emission spectrometry (PIXE) is a high-energy ion beam analysis technique, which is often considered as a complement to XRF. PIXE analysis is typically carried out with a proton beam (proton-induced X-ray emission) and requires nuclear physics facilities such as a Van der Graaff accelerator, or otherwise a small electrostatic particle accelerator. As the highest sensitivity is obtained at rather low proton energies (2-4 MeV), recently, small and relatively inexpensive tandem accelerators have been developed for PIXE applications, which are commercially available. Compact cyclotrons are also often used. 

Application to solid polymer/additive formulations is restricted, for obvious reasons. SS-ETV-ICP-MS (cup-in-tube) has been used for the simultaneous determination of four elements (Co, Mn, P and Ti) with very different furnace characteristics in mg-size PET samples [413]. The results were compared to ICP-AES (after sample dissolution) and XRF. Table 8.66 shows the very good agreement between the various analytical approaches. The advantage of directly introducing the solid sample in an ETV device is also clearly shown by the fact that the detection limit is even better than that reported for ICP-HRMS. The technique also enables speciation of Sb in PET, and the determination of various sulfur species in aramide fibres. ETV offers some advantages over the well-established specific sulfur analysers very low sample consumption the possibility of using an aqueous standard for calibration and the flexibility to carry out the determination of other analytes. The method cannot be considered as very economic. 

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