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The Application of a Multichannel Fixed and Sequential Spectrometer System to the Analysis of Air Pollution Particulate Samples from Source Emissions and Ambient Air

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 March 2019

Roy L. Bennett
Affiliation:
EPA, Environmental Research Center Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711
Jack Wagman
Affiliation:
EPA, Environmental Research Center Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711
Kenneth T. Knapp
Affiliation:
EPA, Environmental Research Center Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711
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Abstract

The design and application of a newly-developed Siemens multichannel wavelength x-ray fluorescence spectrometer that has been specially adapted to the needs of the Environmental Protection Agency for rapid analysis of particulate samples is described. The system consists of sixteen fixed-wavelength spectrometers which are optimized for sixteen pre-selected elements and a computer-operated scanning channel which is used to determine additional elements that might be desired on a given sample. A minicomputer operates the instrument and custom-designed sample changer and processes the data.

Requirements for standards suitable for air pollution samples and the approaches used for the preparation of thin layer standards are discussed. Sensitivities, detection limits for elements of interest in air pollution, and the relative merits of aerosol filter types for x-ray fluorescence analysis have been determined. The system has been used to measure the elemental composition of a large number of samples from stationary source emissions, mobile sources, and ambient air.

Type
X-Ray Spectrometry in Environmental Analysis
Copyright
Copyright © International Centre for Diffraction Data 1975

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References

1. Birks, L. S., Gilfrich, J. V., and Burkhalter, P. G., “Development of X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy for Elemental Analysis of Particulate Matter in the Atmosphere and in Source Emissions,” Environmental Protection Technology Series Report No. EPA-R2-72-063, Office of Research and Development, EPA, (November 1972).Google Scholar
2. Birks, L. S. and Gilfrich, J. V., “Development of X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy for Elemental Analysis of Particulate Matter, Phase II: Evaluation of Commercial Multiple Crystal Spectrometer Instruments,” Environmental Protection Technology Series Report No. EPA-650/2-73-006, Office of Research and Development, EPA, (June 1973).Google Scholar