Analysis of Inorganic Particulate Pollutants by Nuclear Methods

Abstract

Over the past years the concentrations of many trace metals in the atmosphere have risen dramatically to the point where industrial and automobile emissions now dominate the natural biogeochemical cycling in many urban and to some extent rural and remote environments. From the results of numerous studies it has been suggested that increased urban air concentrations of toxic metals, such as chromium, arsenic, cadmium, and lead, have been associated with various disease risk factors. Airborne particulate matter is a complex pollutant which requires reliable analytical methods to measure accurately the elemental concentrations in air. Besides good trace element analytical techniques, proper sampling methodologies and the use of source-receptor modeling are needed. Nuclear analytical methods such as neutron activation analysis (NAA), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE) and energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) are ideally suited to be implemented in research and routine air monitoring programs, particularly in urban environments. An overview of these methods is presented. Special emphasis on NAA is given including its usefulness in several programs conducted in various parts of the world for monitoring and source receptor modeling purposes.