Open AccessMinimum depth electron probe x‐ray microanalysis as a means for determining the sulphur content of the human hair surface
Author(s) -
Swift J. A.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
scanning
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.359
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1932-8745
pISSN - 0161-0457
DOI - 10.1002/sca.4950020203
Subject(s) - electron probe microanalysis , sulfur , cuticle (hair) , microanalysis , chemistry , excitation , analytical chemistry (journal) , electron , x ray , surface (topology) , layer (electronics) , solid surface , content (measure theory) , mineralogy , optics , chromatography , electron microprobe , physics , mathematics , organic chemistry , geometry , chemical physics , anatomy , biology , quantum mechanics , mathematical analysis
By using incident electron energies as low as 3 keV it has been shown both theoretically and practically that the maximum depth for the excitation of sulphur Kα x‐rays from a sulphur‐containing proteinaceous solid can be restricted to 110 nm. This approach has been used to determine the concentration of sulphur in the immediate surface of human hair, and more particularly associated with the A‐layer subcomponent of the hair cuticle. The value obtained was 11.8 weight % (± 0.92, n = 10).