A method has been developed to simultaneously compute matrix corrections from a composite spectrum of multi-target energy-dispersive (EDXRF) and multicrystal wavelength—dispersive (WDXRF) x-ray fluorescence systems, A serial line installed between the WDXRF and EDXRF spectrometers via a PDF 11/34a computer allows acquired wavelength data to be digitally transformed into an energy spectrum. The low-energy x-ray information from the WDXRF unit is then coupled with the backscatter coherent/incoherent information from the EDXRF unit, enabling enhanced quantitative analysis for low-atomic-number (low-Z) elements. The peak resolution obtainable from the WDXRF spectra often removes the necessity for peak-overlap corrections.

Backscatter intensities obtained from the EDXRF unit are used to provide information on total sample mass and to correct for matrix effects. The resulting backscatter fundamental-parameter (BFP) calculations generally provide an accurate analysis of samples without prior knowledge of the sample matrix. Such an approach is particularly useful for samples in which quantities of carbon, oxygen, and other low-Z constituents cannot be explicitly determined.

Regions of interest (ROI) are created by the computer code “PREP” and processed by the BFP code "MSAP" an extension of the “SAP3” computer program for quantitative multielement analysis by energy-dispersive x-ray fluorescence,