Quantification of Element Mass Concentrations in Ambient Aerosols by Combination of Cascade Impactor Sampling and Mobile Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy

Quantitative chemical analysis of airborne particulate matter (PM) is vital for the understanding of health effects in indoor and outdoor environments, as well as for enforcing EU air quality regulations. Typically, airborne particles are sampled over long time periods on filters, followed by lab-based analysis, e.g., with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). During the EURAMET EMPIR AEROMET project, cascade impactor aerosol sampling is combined for the first time with on-site total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) spectroscopy to develop a tool for quantifying particle element compositions within short time intervals and even on-site. This makes variations of aerosol chemistry observable with time resolution only a few hours and with good size resolution in the PM10 range. The study investigates the proof of principles of this methodological approach. Acrylic discs and silicon wafers are shown to be suitable impactor carriers with sufficiently smooth and clean surfaces, and a non-destructive elemental mass concentration measurement with a lower limit of detection around 10 pg/m3 could be achieved. We demonstrate the traceability of field TXRF measurements to a radiometrically calibrated TXRF reference, and the results from both analytical methods correspond satisfactorily.

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Sample collection and preparation for analysis of airborne particulate matter by total reflection X-ray fluorescence spectrometry

Analytica Chimica Acta ◽

10.1016/s0003-2670(97)00022-6 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 346 (1) ◽

pp. 121-126 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

M. Schmeling ◽

D. Klockow

Keyword(s):

Particulate Matter ◽

Airborne Particulate Matter ◽

Total Reflection ◽

Fluorescence Spectrometry ◽

Airborne Particulate ◽

Sample Collection ◽

X Ray

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Evaluation of a sample preparation procedure for total-reflection X-ray fluorescence analysis of directly collected airborne particulate matter samples

Spectrochimica Acta Part B Atomic Spectroscopy ◽

10.1016/j.sab.2018.05.005 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 147 ◽

pp. 13-20 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

J. Prost ◽

A. Zinkl ◽

D. Ingerle ◽

P. Wobrauschek ◽

C. Streli

Keyword(s):

Particulate Matter ◽

Sample Preparation ◽

Airborne Particulate Matter ◽

Fluorescence Analysis ◽

Total Reflection ◽

Preparation Procedure ◽

Airborne Particulate ◽

X Ray ◽

Sample Preparation Procedure

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Morphological and Chemical Properties of Particulate Matter in the Dammam Metropolitan Region: Dhahran, Khobar, and Dammam, Saudi Arabia

Advances in Meteorology ◽

10.1155/2017/8512146 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 2017 ◽

pp. 1-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Bassam S. Tawabini ◽

Taoreed T. Lawal ◽

Abdulaziz Shaibani ◽

Ashraf M. Farahat

Keyword(s):

Saudi Arabia ◽

Particulate Matter ◽

Inductively Coupled Plasma ◽

Chemical Properties ◽

Airborne Particulate Matter ◽

Optical Emission ◽

Average Concentration ◽

Metropolitan Region ◽

X Ray ◽

Concentration Levels

Characteristics of airborne particulate matter (PM) as well as its levels in air samples collected from selected sites within cities of Dhahran, Khobar, and Dammam, in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, are investigated. Concentration levels of the 10 microns’ PM (i.e., PM10) are determined using the gravimetric technique. Morphological and chemical characteristics of the PM collected from the sampling cities are studied using Field-Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), and X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF). Moreover, levels and types of hazardous materials related to these samples are assessed using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Results revealed that the average concentration levels of PM10 were approximately 177, 380, and 126 μg/m3 in Dhahran, Khobar, and Dammam, respectively. The structure of PM collected in Dhahran was mainly platy and rod-like shaped with a size between 2 and 6 μm, while PM collected in Khobar was mostly irregular in form, with a size range between 2 and 8 μm, and Dammam’s PM was rounded and between 1 and 3 μm in size. Both EDX and XRF results indicate relatively high weight % of C, O, Si, F, and Ca with lower weight % of Na, Mg, and K at the 3 cities. Finally, the study shows that Ba and Zn were the main trace metals associated with the collected PM in the 3 cities.

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Comparative analysis of X-ray fluorescence methods for elemental composition determination of the archaeological ceramics from low sample quantity

Аналитика и контроль ◽

10.15826/analitika.2020.25.1.001 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 25 (1) ◽

pp. 20-33

Author(s):

G. V. Pashkova ◽

◽

M. M. Mukhamedova ◽

V. M. Chubarov ◽

A. S. Maltsev ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Elemental Composition ◽

Inductively Coupled Plasma ◽

Bulk Composition ◽

Fluorescence Analysis ◽

Total Reflection ◽

Late Neolithic ◽

Burial Site ◽

Archaeological Ceramics ◽

X Ray

Wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence analysis (WDXRF) and total-reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) analysis were applied to study the elemental composition of the Late Neolithic ancient ceramics collected at the Popovsky Lug burial site (Kachug, Upper Lena river, Russia). Semi-quantitative non-destructive analysis of ceramic pieces showed that measurements of the upper and lower sides of the ceramic are less informative than the measurement of its cut. Various sample preparation techniques for the low quantity of crushed ceramics such as fusion, pressing and preparation of suspensions were compared to preserve the material. Samples were prepared as 150 mg fused beads and 250 mg pressed pellets for WDXRF, and as suspensions of 20 mg sample based on the aqueous solution of the Triton X-100 surfactant for TXRF. Certified methods were used to validate the obtained contents of rock-forming oxides and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used to confirm the results of trace elements determination. Based on the carried-out studies, a combination of the wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence analysis (glass) and total-reflection X-ray fluorescence analysis (suspension) methods was chosen to obtain the data on the elemental bulk composition of archaeological ceramics. The proposed combination allowed the quantitative determination of Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, K, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, V, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Pb, and Ba from the sample of crushed ceramics weighing only about 170 mg.

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