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Individual particle characterization of Siberian aerosols by micro‐PIXE and backscattering spectrometry
Author(s) -
Van Malderen H.,
Hoornaert S.,
Injuk J.,
Przybylowicz W. J.,
Pineda C. A.,
Prozesky V. M.,
Van Grieken R.
Publication year - 2001
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.505
Subject(s) - aerosol , particle (ecology) , electron microprobe , single particle analysis , characterization (materials science) , microprobe , cluster (spacecraft) , mass spectrometry , analytical chemistry (journal) , materials science , mineralogy , environmental chemistry , environmental science , chemistry , nanotechnology , geology , chromatography , oceanography , organic chemistry , computer science , programming language
Individual particle analysis using micro‐PIXE and proton backscattering was performed for selected aerosol samples collected over Siberia. Point analyses were complemented by x‐ray mapping for complex particles. Hierarchical cluster analysis of 124 particles identified in general the same particle groups, as found by automated electron microprobe analyses of approximately 25 000 particles from the same locations. However, owing to the superior sensitivity of micro‐PIXE, a number of heavy metals were identified, suggesting an anthropogenic origin of particles. These metals remained undetected by EPXMA owing to its inferior sensitivity. Elemental mapping of single aerosol particles yielded important information on the chemical heterogeneities. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.