ABSTRACT
X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry is one of the most widely used and versatile of all instrumental analytical techniques. An XRF spectrometer uses primary radiation from an X-ray tube to excite secondary X-ray emission from a sample. The radiation emerging from the sample includes the characteristic X-ray peaks of major and trace elements present in the sample. Dispersion of these secondary X-rays into a spectrum, usually by X-ray diffraction, allows identification of elements present in the sample. The height of each characteristic X-ray peak relates to the concentration of the corresponding element in the sample, allowing quantitative analysis of the sample for most elements (Fig. 6.1) in the concentration range of 1 ppm to 100%.
