Elemental analysis of welding fumes by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry

Abstract

A method is described for the simultaneous multi-element determination of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, iron, lead, manganese, nickel, titanium, vanadium and zinc in welding fumes by wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry. Instrumental calibration is achieved by a thin-film dibenzyldithiocarbamate precipitation procedure based on standard metal solutions. The results obtained for the rapid and simple X-ray methodology described are found to be favourable in comparison with inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometric analysis of synthetic and real samples. Details are given of the instrumental optimisation conditions and the interference characteristics for both the XRF and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) techniques. The sampling strategy for welding fumes is considered with particular reference to the particle size distribution. The XRF analysis described compares favourably with ICP-AES analysis giving a sufficiently accurate method of analysis for the elements of interest without the need for lengthy sample preparation or calibration procedures.