Trends in hard X-ray fluorescence mapping: environmental applications in the age of fast detectors

Environmental samples are extremely diverse but share a tendency for heterogeneity and complexity. This heterogeneity poses methodological challenges when investigating biogeochemical processes. In recent years, the development of analytical tools capable of probing element distribution and speciati...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry 2011-06, Vol.400 (6), p.1637-1644
Main Authors: Lombi, E., de Jonge, M. D., Donner, E., Ryan, C. G., Paterson, D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analytical Chemistry
Applied sciences
Biochemistry
Characterization and Evaluation of Materials
Chemistry
Chemistry and Materials Science
Detectors
Environmental Monitoring - instrumentation
Environmental Monitoring - methods
Exact sciences and technology
Fluorescence
Food Science
Global environmental pollution
Heterogeneity
Humans
Laboratory Medicine
Mapping
Mathematical analysis
Monitoring/Environmental Analysis
Nutrients
Pollution
Speciation
Spectrometric and optical methods
Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission - instrumentation
Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission - methods
Trends
X-ray spectroscopy
X-Rays
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Summary:Environmental samples are extremely diverse but share a tendency for heterogeneity and complexity. This heterogeneity poses methodological challenges when investigating biogeochemical processes. In recent years, the development of analytical tools capable of probing element distribution and speciation at the microscale have allowed this challenge to be addressed. Of these available tools, laterally resolved synchrotron techniques such as X-ray fluorescence mapping are key methods for the in situ investigation of micronutrients and inorganic contaminants in environmental samples. This article demonstrates how recent advances in X-ray fluorescence detector technology are bringing new possibilities to environmental research. Fast detectors are helping to circumvent major issues such as X-ray beam damage of hydrated samples, as dwell times during scanning are reduced. They are also helping to reduce temporal beamtime requirements, making particularly time-consuming techniques such as micro X-ray fluorescence (μXRF) tomography increasingly feasible. This article focuses on μXRF mapping of nutrients and metalloids in environmental samples, and suggests that the current divide between mapping and speciation techniques will be increasingly blurred by the development of combined approaches. Figure Tricolour maps of elemental distributions in a barley grain: Zn ( red ), Compton ( green ) and Mn ( blue )
ISSN:1618-2642
1618-2650
DOI:10.1007/s00216-011-4829-2