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Heterogeneity effects in direct x‐ray fluorescence analysis of hair
Author(s) -
Török Sz.,
Van Dyck P.,
Van Grieken R.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
x‐ray spectrometry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.447
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1097-4539
pISSN - 0049-8246
DOI - 10.1002/xrs.1300130106
Subject(s) - homogeneous , analyte , neutron activation analysis , analytical chemistry (journal) , standard deviation , x ray fluorescence , fluorescence , materials science , chemistry , optics , physics , mathematics , chromatography , statistics , radiochemistry , thermodynamics
The methodology of direct hair analysis by energy‐dispersive x‐ray fluorescence was studied. The effect on the XRF result of having a non‐homogeneous radial distribution of the analyte in a single hair strand and the macroscopic effects in a bundle of hairs were calculated to evaluate possible systematic errors. The detection limits were mapped as a function of the target thickness and surface fraction. It appeared that a 10 mg cm −2 sample thickness, i. e. a target with about four layers of hair strands, is recommended. The standard deviation of this simple direct analytical method is 6–19% for some important elements. Discrepancies with neutron activation analysis had a mean value of around 15%. About twelve elements can be determined simultaneously on a routine basis.