Exploring Possibilities and Drawbacks in the Analysis of Pb Loaded Reference Samples by Using TXRF Spectrometers

Authors

Paola Cirelli¹ , Fabjola Bilo² , Annalisa Zacco² , Kouichi Tsuji³ , Tsugufumi Matsuyama³ , Giacomo Siviero⁴ , Luigi Pisani⁴ , Diane Eichert⁵ , Laura E. Depero⁶ , Laura Borgese²

1. Department of Information Engineering, University of Brescia, via Branze 38, 25123 Brescia, Italy
2. SMART SOLUTIONS s.r.l, via Corfù 106, 25124 Brescia, Italy
3. Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan
4. GNR srl, via Torino 7, 28010, Agrate Conturbia (NO), Italy
5. Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste, Area Science Park, 34149 Basovizza, Trieste, Italy
6. Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, via Branze 38, 25123 Bre

Conference / event

EXSA - VIRTUAL CONFERENCE IN X-RAY SPECTROMETRY, June 2021 (Virtual)

Poster summary

Particulate matter (PM) is a prominent air pollutant responsible for negative health effects. The determination of PM composition and concentration is important to assess the presence of potentially toxic elements. In this work we define a method for measurement and analysis of lead in PM filter samples, by measuring lead loaded reference samples plasticized with SMART STORE® using three total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) spectrometers. The sample preparation procedure consists in enclosing the filter between two polymeric foils, to avoid material losses, and to cut the sample in a disc of 30 mm diameter, equal to the dimension of the sample carrier. Reference samples are analysed, and from the detected fluorescence intensities calibration lines are built, applying both the analytical and the theoretical approach.

Keywords

Environmental monitoring, Particulate matter, Air quality, TXRF, XRF

Research areas

Chemical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Chemistry, Physics

References

1. Directive 2004/106/EC, Official Journal of the European Union, L 23/3
2. L. Borgese, F. Bilo, A. Zacco, S. Federici, A. W. Mutahi, E. Bontempi, K. Trzepla, N. Hyslop, S. Yatkin, P. Wobrauschek, J. Prost, D. Ingerle, L. E. Depero, 2020, Spectrochimica Acta Part B 167, 105840

Funding

1. COST Action CA18130 ENFORCE TXRF

Supplemental files

No data provided

Additional information

Competing interests

No competing interests were disclosed.

Data availability statement

The datasets generated during and / or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Creative Commons license

Copyright © 2022 Cirelli et al. This is an open access work distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.