Performance, Accuracy of ED-XRF Spectrometry for the Onsite Elemental Analysis of Soil and Sewage Sludge is Detailed in New Application Brief

The performance and accuracy of using energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (ED-XRF) spectrometry to perform elemental analysis in the field on soil and sewage sludge samples is detailed in a new application brief.

Evaluating how to address a contaminated environmental site requires both a precise identification of the contaminating elements and a determination of the amounts present. Traditionally, the elemental analysis has been done in laboratories using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). This approach requires the physical transportation of collected samples from field to the laboratory as well as extensive sample preparation - both of which add considerable time and cost to the process. 

In contrast, portable ED-XRF spectrometry provides a fast, precise, accurate and economic solution for the onsite analysis of traces of minor and major elements for environmental monitoring, geochemical prospecting and mining applications. With in-the-field portable ED-XRF spectrometry, sample preparation is minimal and there is no need for sample transportation - shortening the time to results from days to minutes.

The new application brief, Analysis of Soil and Sewage Sludge in the Field with a Portable ED-XRF Spectrometer, reports on tests comparing laboratory and field based analyses of heavy metals in sewage sludge. The field tests were conducted using a portable SPECTROSCOUT EX-XRF spectrometer - which provided excellent performance in multi-element applications, accuracy in the measured concentrations for “light” elements, and proven reliability. 

Download the brief “Analysis of Soil and Sewage Sludge in the Field with a Portable ED-XRF Spectrometer,”. It is authored by SPECTRO Analytical Instruments, a leading global supplier of analytical instruments for optical emission and X-ray fluorescence spectrometry.