Evaluation of field-portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry for the determination of lead contamination on small-arms firing ranges

Abstract

Field analytical methods for the characterization of lead contamination in soil are being developed. In this study, the usefulness of a commercially available, field-portable energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (XRF) is evaluated for determining the extent of lead contamination in soils on small-arms firing ranges at a military installation. This field screening technique provides significant time and cost savings for the study of sites with lead-contaminated soil. Data obtained with the XRF unit in the field are compared with data obtained from soil samples analyzed in an analytical laboratory by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. Results indicate that the field-portable XRF unit evaluated in this study provides data that are useful in determining the extent and relative magnitude of lead contamination. For the commercial unit used in this study, improvements in the spectral resolution and in the limit of detection would be required to make the unit more than just a screening tool.