Atomic Spectrometry Update—X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry

Abstract

The current work continues the annual series of reviews of progress in X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and covers work published during 1997–98. The papers referred to in this review are the ones that in the judgement of the authors made a significant contribution to the advancement of XRF. The style and scope are very similar to earlier reviews in the series (for example, ref. 1), with a comprehensive coverage of all aspects of XRF. There continue to be important developments in the field, notable amongst which are the very high resolution energy dispersive detector devices, specifically microcalorimeter and superconducting tunnel junction devices. Indeed, there is continuing interest in developments in a wide range of solid state detector devices, although mercury(II) iodide is the only detector material yet to challenge Si(Li) or HPGe in some applications. Interest in matrix correction procedures continues to be buoyant, although this year has seen a temporary hiatus in fundamental parameter publications. Laboratory microfluorescence has become well established, not the least because of the availability of commercial instrumentation, some of which incorporates glass capillary optics. Investment in synchrotron radiation facilities continues to be strong, ensuring a continuing stream of research publications. One of the significant trends over the last year has been the large number of TXRF contributions, which cover a large proportion of the traditional XRF areas of application. Equally, there continues to be strong interest in portable XRF, particularly in environmental applications—an area that surely still has not reached its zenith. In the field of general applications of the technique, there continues to be strong interest in developments in the environmental, industrial, clinical and biological areas. This was another vigorous year in the development of XRF, some of the more important features of which are highlighted in this review.