Determination of phosphorus and other elements in atmospheric aerosols using synchrotron total‐reflection X‐ray fluorescence

In this study, P and other low Z elements were determined in aerosol particulates from ambient air using synchrotron radiation‐induced total‐reflection X‐ray fluorescence analysis. Atmospheric transport of nutrients such as P or Si to the oceans is a key factor to marine plankton growth. Concentration of these elements in marine air masses is generally low (P < 10 ng/m 3 ). Therefore, analytical procedures enabling for low detection limits are of interest. Because particle size is strongly correlated to its origin and sedimentation, the aerosols were collected with the aid of a low‐pressure Berner impactor, which separates the aerosol particulates in nine size fractions with the smallest fraction from 15 to 30 nm. To be able to determine low Z elements, measurements were performed under vacuum conditions at the FLUO beamline at the ANKA synchrotron. An excitation energy of 3.5 keV near the P K‐edge but below the Ca K absorption edge was chosen to avoid interferences of the P K‐line with the detector escape artifact of the Ca‐K α line. The result showed P was present in concentration from 2 to 180 ng/m 3 . Detection limits were found to be generally 0.2–0.3 ng/m 3 for a collecting time of 1 h for the aerosols, which is an improvement to detection limits reported in other studies. Other elements such as S, Cl, and Si were determined as well. Si like P is a nutrient for marine plankton (diatoms). S and Cl play an important role in cloud formation, e.g. polar stratospheric clouds. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.