Fast determination of trace elements on aerosol-loaded filters by X-ray fluorescence analysis considering the inhomogeneous elemental distribution.
X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis was successfully applied for the determination of Ca, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, V and Zn on aerosol filters with a diameter of 150 mm. Ambient aerosol was collected on quartz-fibre filters by Digitel high-volume samplers. For XRF analysis three small filter pieces with a diameter of 32 mm were cut out of each filter, considering the radial dependence of elemental distribution on the filter. Elemental concentration decreases by 8-10% from the centre to the outer circle for coarse mode elements. Distribution of fine mode elements display only small radial dependence (2-4%). Results of quantitative analysis by XRF were compared with atomic spectrometric methods (GF-AAS, ICP-OES). The good agreement between the methods confirmed the application of XRF spectrometry for routine analysis of filter samples loaded with ambient aerosol.
Institute of Inorganic and Applied Chemistry, University of Hamburg, Germany.
G
G
Steinhoff
O
O
Haupt
W
W
Dannecker
D000336:Aerosols / Q000737:chemistry; D005374:Filtration / Q000295:instrumentation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013052:Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis*
D000336:Aerosols; D014131:Trace Elements