An X-ray fluorescence (XRF) method has been devised for the rapid quantitative determination of 16 minor and trace elements in geological materials. This method, a modification of a direct dilution method (1, 2, 3), uses a sample-to-binder ratio of 85:15 for sample preparation. Pellets prepared by this method are durable and do not deteriorate rapidly when exposed to high X-ray irradiation. Interferences and matrix effects are successfully corrected in actual analyses by employment of multiple linear regression equations.Accuracy and precision have been improved over the method previously used in this laboratory. Detection limits have been lowered for Zn, Rb, Y and Zn approximately by the factor of 2. When interelement corrections are made, the XRF values are found to be in good agreement with the preferred chemical values for the 19 international silicate-rock standards.
Determination of trace elements in light element matrices by x-ray fluorescence spectrometry with incoherent scattered radiation as an internal standard
