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X-Ray Fluorescence Analysis Applied to Small Samples

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 March 2019

J.M. Jaklevic
Affiliation:
Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720
W.R. French
Affiliation:
Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720
T.W. Clarkson
Affiliation:
Environmental Health Sciences Center, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14642
M.R. Greenwood
Affiliation:
Environmental Health Sciences Center, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14642
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Abstract

We describe an adaptation of photon excited x-ray fluorescence analysis which is optimized for the analysis of small samples. A fine focus x-ray tube is used in conjunction with small diameter detector collimators in order to focus on a small sample volume with as high sensitivity as possible. Sample areas of less than 1 mm diameter can be analyzed with ppm detectability. In applications involving the analysis of human hair samples, a minimum detectable limit of 10 ppm Hg can be realized in a 1 mm long segment of a single hair in a counting time of 200 seconds. Simultaneous measurements of the sample mass can be obtained from the intensity of the incoherent scattering. An automated x-ray fluorescence analysis system using the technique for the scanning of elemental profiles in such hair samples will be described.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © International Centre for Diffraction Data 1977

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