X-ray analysis of particulate matter collected in an environmental monitoring device

Abstract

X-ray induced photoelectron spectroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction techniques are used in conjunction to give routine qualitative and semi-quantitative elemental and chemical analyses of airborne particulate matter collected in an environmental monitoring device. The advantages and disadvantages of each technique are discussed and examples are given of typical analyses of samples of particulate matter weighing down to 100 µg. The results from the first two techniques are complementary but X-ray diffraction does not often give the unequivocal structural information expected.