Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence Technique Research Articles

Elemental and Chemical Phase Analyses of Ras-Family Ayurvedic Medicinal Products.

Fifteen Ayurvedic medicines of Ras-family (herbo-mineral-metallic preparations) from three reputed manufactures were analysed for elemental quantification and their chemical phase identification using the energy-dispersive (ED) and wavelength-dispersive (WD) X-ray fluorescence (XRF) techniques, and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique, respectively. The low-Z elements C, H, N, S and O constituting a major portion of these medicines were also determined by CHNSO analyser and further used as input for XRF analyses. The elements of concern, Hg, Pb and As, are identified in different medicine products with disquiet concentration values (maximum concentration values range ~ 4-10%) and that too with substantial variations in the products from different manufacturers. These elements are identified mainly in the cinnabar (α-HgS)/metacinnabar (β-HgS), litharge (PbO) and alacranite (As4S4) phases in different medicines. Keeping in view the high concentration of chemicals of the Hg, Pb and As elements in the Ras-family medicines, it is vitally required to investigate their bioaccessibility and surmise the associated toxicological aspects. It is suggested that the formation of the bioaccessible toxic chemical forms of the Hg, Pb and As elements be avoided during preparation of the mineral ingredients or these soluble chemical forms be removed at suitable stage of the preparation. In view of large variations observed for the Hg, Pb and As based ingredients in the Ras family Ayurvedic medicine products from different manufacturers, adequate quality control mechanisms and production regulations are recommended.

Assessment of the Enrichment of Heavy Metals in Coal and Its Combustion Residues.

Coal-fired thermal power plants remain one of the main sources of electricity generation in Turkey. Combustion of coal creates coal ash and slag, which are often stored in landfills located near residential and agricultural fields, increasing the potential for high environmental contamination and health risks. This study investigates the content and enrichment factor (EF) of heavy metals in pulverized lignite coal and its combustion residues from the Kangal lignite coal-fired thermal power plant situated in the Central Anatolian Region of Turkey. The concentration of heavy metals (Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Sr, Zr, Cd, Hg, and Pb) in lignite coal, slag, and fly ash samples were analyzed using an energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence technique. The concentration of Fe is highest while Hg concentration is lowest in the samples. The concentrations of heavy metals are higher in slag and fly ash samples than in lignite coal. Average values of EF (related to Earth’s crust average) revealed that extreme enrichment has been shown by arsenic and mercury in lignite coal and fly ash samples while very high enrichment has been shown in slag samples.

Assessment of Chemical Composition of Rice Husk Using Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Technique from Kano State, North Western Nigeria

Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Technique was used to study the chemical compositions of rice husk in four selected Local Governments, namely-Wudil, Tofa, Kura and Rano of Kano State, Nigeria. Rice husk is the edible part of the paddy and one of the major agricultural wastes that has the potential to produce chemical composition which can be useful in manufacturing industries. The samples were obtained during dry season and grounded into powdered form and irradiated with X-rays, the X-rays interact with individual atoms of the samples, and these atoms respond by producing their own X-rays whose energy levels and abundance are different for each element. Fourteen compounds were revealed in all the rice husk samples which are; SO3, P2O3, SrO,BrO, ZnO, CuO, NiO, Fe2O3, MnO, CaO, K2O, Rb2O, Cl, SiO2. Herein, Rano rice husk has fourteen elements with one below detection limit (BDL) and the rest Wudil, Kura, Tofa have ten elements detected. The concentration of SiO2, K2O, CaO and Fe2O3, which were the major elements in the samples (in %), ranged from (82.12to 78.84), (12.964 to 7.0227), (6.0753 to 4.518) and (2.3725 to 1.50716) for all the four samples respectively. Likewise, the concentration of the following (in %) constitutes the minor elements; MnO, NiO, ZnO, Rb2O, SrO and CuO were within the range of (0.705 to 05122), (0.2103 to 0.0147), (0.1838 to 0.01547), (0.73 to 0.023), (0.04586 to 0.017608) and (0.04034 to 0.008503) respectively. In % P2O3(27.038), Cl(0.4766), SO3(3.79704) and BrO (1.3992) are the new elements which were discovered in Rano sample and are not common in other findings and are very useful as raw material in production industries.

Fabrication of [formula omitted]As targets for heavy ion nuclear reactions

Thin uniform targets of 75As isotope with Pb/Au backing layer were fabricated for nuclear structure studies and sub-picosecond lifetime measurements of nuclear excited states using the Doppler shift attenuation method (DSAM) for nuclei populated in the heavy-ion induced fusion-evaporation reactions. The 75As targets of thickness 2.8–4.0 mg/cm2 (4.9–7.0μm) were prepared by in-vacuo sublimation of the As metal powder on to the backing (∼10 mg/cm2) of Pb (9.4μm) or Au (5.2μm), which were prepared by rolling method. The prepared targets were further rolled to improve their uniformity and avoid any interlayer gaps. The amount 75As material required for target preparation could be significantly reduced to ∼80 mg by increasing vapour flux by replacing the open dimpled tantalum boat with the pinhole tubular form. The uniformity, purity and thickness of As and Pb layers in the fabricated targets were assessed using a non-destructive Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) technique set-up. The measured thickness values of As and Pb/Au layers were found to agree within ∼3% with those deduced from the weighing method. The prepared targets have been successfully used with 28Si and 31P ion beams and the in-beam γ-ray spectroscopic studies in excited nuclear states in 98,99Rh, 99,100,101Pd and 102Ag isotopes.

Elemental analysis of rice husk using X-ray fluorescence techniques – a case study of Jigawa State, Nigeria

The rice husk or hard protective shell are woody, siliceous, and not edible part of the rice plant. Here in, the elemental composition of rice husk was determined using the energy dispersive X-ray Fluorescence Technique. The rice husks were obtained from four different Local Governments namely, Hadejia, Dutse, Auyo and Ringim of Jigawa State, Nigeria. The samples were collected during dry season and ground into a fine powder using mortar and pestle The results of the analyses revealed the presence of eleven elements which are; Silicon (Si), Rubidium (Rb), Potassium (K), Calcium (Ca), Manganese (Mn), Iron (Fe), Nickel (Ni), Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), Bromine (Br) and Strontium (Sr) for Hadejia and Ringim while Dutse and Auyo are having ten with the absence of Br. The elements detected and their concentration (in %) for Hadejia, Dutse, Auyo and Ringim respectively are as follows Si (69.05, 70.52, 73.18, 69.33), Rb (0.321, 0.153, 0.164, 0.219), K (16.52, 16.03, 14.29, 16.66), Ca (8.45, 8.064, 8.101, 8.85), Mn (1.104, 1.026, 0.99, 1.077), Fe (3.739, 3.564, 2.719, 3.162), Ni (0.27, 0.291, 0.291, 0.249, 0.26), Cu (0.021, 0.018, 0.017, 0.015), Zn (0.36, 0.266, 0.226, 0.307), Br (0.065, 0.00, 0.00, 0.046) and Sr (0.087, 0.056, 0.05, 0.063). The results of the analysis in % shows Si with high percentage concentration followed by K and the rest are in the following ascending order Ca > Fe > Zn > Rb > Sr > Br > Ni > Cu. Four new elements were discovered namely; Rb, Cu, Sr and Br in rice husk which were not common in other existing studies. The composition can also be affected by factors such as soil chemistry, climatic conditions, and the type of fertilizer used.

Malaysia’s Rare Earth Element Story: Characterizing the "Amang"

Amang is known as a waste product after extraction of tin oxide (cassiterite, SnO2) from its ore. Not long ago, in Malaysia, these tin ore tailings were left in abundance after long years of mining activities. Little had it been realized then, of the importance and future economics of the heavy minerals present in these tailing ‘deposits’ may offer. It is known that the heavy minerals from amang contained rare earth elements that are beneficial in various applications in different types of industries, such as monazite ([Ce, La, Nd, Gd, Th] PO4), zircon (ZrSiO4), ilmenite (FeOTiO2), xenotime (YPO4) and struverite (NbTaTiO2). This paper looks briefly in Malaysia’s REE story and the contents of amang, that makes the story. Amang samples from Kinta Valley were chosen to be characterized, being reminiscent of the country’s REE exploits. Mineral characterization were achieved via various equipment and techniques; this includes utilizing Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with Energy Dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques, to determine (amongst others) surface morphology and morphological element/mineral identification, chemical element identification and mineral phases present, respectively. Mineralogical studies were also done by scrutinizing polished sections, interpreted under the reflected-light microscope and SEM/EDX, providing more insight into the mineral distribution in the amang and the possibility of liberation. All analyses were done at different size fractions for good comparison with possible indication of ample physical processing, before any proposed chemical processing can take place. Results showed that the chemical and phase constituents in amang were conclusively identified, with the complex distribution of mineral phases reaching 80% liberation at sizes below 125 μm.

A comparative analysis of macro and micronutrient content in nutraceutical “Asparagus racemosus (Shatavari Roots)” by energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence and ion chromatography

Introduction: Shatavari is indeed a highly rejuvenating herb for both males and females, a revitalizing tonic for most of the problems related to hormonal changes and reproductive system and is a commonly used nutraceutical. Macro and micro elemental concentration of the Ayurvedic medicinal plant, Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus), is investigated for the first time in detail, using Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) technique and Ion Chromatography with Conductometric Detector (IC-CD). Methods: In the present study, root powders have been analyzed directly by EDXRF, and extracted root samples have been analyzed by IC-CD. The data of standard plant sample has been compared with ten other market samples. Results: The EDXRF results have been given for 20 elements in percentage composition for K, Ca, P, Si, S, Fe, Zn, Mn, Ti, Cu, Ba, Sr, Ni, V, Cr, Os, Ho, Br, Ge, and Rb whereas IC-CD results have been given in ppm level for six essential elements for Li, K, NH4+, Ca, and Na. Discussion: It has been found from the results that there are many essential elements that were absent in some of the commercial samples. Some samples reported very low concentration of one or the other elements that are crucial for its role in human body owing to which the nutraceutical is consumed. Conclusion: The results revealed a significant difference between the standard and the sample drug by both the methods suggesting that there is indiscriminate use of exhausted and adulterated drug in commercially available nutraceuticals. Furthermore, there is a crucial need to standardize such drugs before it reaches consumers.

(Bi13Co11)Co2O40–Co3O4 nanocomposites: Approach to different fuels in sol-gel combustion synthesis using the Box-Behnken design

The sol-gel combustion method was applied using three types of fuels (urea, glycine, and ethylene glycol) to synthetize Co sillenite. A Co sillenite - Co3O4 nanocomposite was obtained as result of the synthesis. The effects of initial pH, fuel type, and amount of fuel on the relative mass concentration of Co Sillenite phase present in the nanocomposite, obtained by Rietveld refinement of XRD data, were evaluated by the Box-Behnken design of experiments. Statistical analysis allowed the quantification of each synthesis parameter and the choice of the samples with higher relative mass concentration of Co Sillenite for each type of fuel. The selected samples were analyzed by x-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX), x-ray fluorescence (XRF) and dielectric open-ended coaxial probe techniques. Rietveld refinements showed that Co sillenite and Co3O4 have cubic structure, and Co sillenite structure belongs to I23 space group. The Co sillenite has crystallite sizes of 43.6 nm (urea), 40.3 nm (glycine) and 44.1 nm (ethylene glycol). The FESEM images displayed a significant change in samples morphology, presenting sphere, flakes and flowers-like shapes. The samples purity was confirmed by the presence of Bi, Co and O elements, identified through EDX. Functional groups and vibrational modes of Co sillenites (Bi–O, Co–O) were identified by FT-IR technique and Raman spectroscopy. Dielectric properties measurements displayed accordance with structural characterizations of each sample. Low losses could also be achieved above 4.5 GHz, leading to a composite suitable for highly efficient microwave systems.

Comparative Study of Mineral Composition of Selected Staple Green Leafy Vegetables in Nigeria

Six varieties of green leafy vegetables, namely, Amaranthus hybridus, Corchorus olitorius, O. gratissimum, Talinum triangulare, Telfaria occidentalis and Vernonia amygdalina were estimated in their raw, steamed and boiled forms for their mineral compositions. The effect of two different cooking methods (steaming i.e. water blanching and boiling) on fresh leafy vegetables were also evaluated. The mineral contents of fresh leaves of the vegetables were determined using Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence techniques (EDXRF). The results from EDXRF analysis of mineral contents of the six leafy vegetables revealed that fresh, steamed and boiled C. olitorius had the highest quantity of K (133.5, 131.5 and 91.2 mg/100 g) and Zn (28.9, 28.4 and 21.4 mg/100 g) respectively. The fresh, steamed and boiled T. occidentalis had the highest quantity of Ca (124.2, 122.2 and 80.3 mg/100 g), Na (102.2, 100.6 and 71.1 mg/100 g) and Mg (324.5, 319.2 and 225.5 mg/100 g) respectively, while the fresh, steamed and boiled A. hybridus had the highest quantity of Fe (48.6, 47.7 and 29.1 mg/100 g) respectively. The results of percentage loss of mineral composition revealed that almost 40 % of minerals in boiled vegetables was lost, while the amount lost in steamed vegetables was < 2 %. The results obtained from evaluation of sodium/potassium (Na/K) ratio showed that all fresh and steamed leafy vegetables have the same values but the boiled leafy vegetables gave different values. The results have shown that vegetables could serve a better source of some important minerals that can contribute qualitatively to the nutritional need of humans. Based on the results from the processing of vegetables, we suggest that the daily nutritional needs can better be acquired by consuming the steamed processed vegetables rather than consuming the boiled processed vegetables, which would also probably reduce high blood pressure diseases.

Anthropogenic influences on sedimentary geochemistry of Itapessoca Estuarine Complex, Pernambuco, Brazil.

The Itapessoca Estuarine Complex is characterized by a history of intense economic activities developed on the banks of its tributary rivers, often exercised without any control or planning. In order to relate natural and/or anthropic events to the sediment age, radiometric dating method was performed by determining excess 210Pb in the sediment using the proportional gas flow technique. To investigate possible disturbances in recent sedimentation processes in studied area, 20 surfaces sediment samples and 2 sediment cores were collected for determination of concentrations of the chemical elements. Al, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Si, Sr, Ti and Zn concentrations were determined by the energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) technique. Through the enrichment factors and ratios among some elements associated with geochronological data, it was possible identify geochemical changes in sedimentation of sampled points, with increase of minerals associated with fine fractions and decrease of the proportions of elements associated with coarse fractions. The radiometric dating reveals that Pb enrichment and the exacerbated increase of Ca and Sr enrichment factors are strongly related to the anthropic activity in the region.

Bimetallic Ag-Cu Alloy Microflowers as SERS Substrates with Single-Molecule Detection Limit.

Bimetallic Ag-Cu alloy microflowers with tunable surface compositions were fabricated as surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrates with a limit of detection in the zeptomolar range for the analyte molecule rhodamine 6G (R6G). The substrates were prepared on a glass coverslip through a bottom-up strategy by simple thermolysis of metal-alkyl ammonium halide precursors. The reaction temperature and composition of the alloy were varied sequentially to find out the maximum SERS efficiency from the substrates. While UV-vis spectroscopy was employed to characterize the optical properties of the substrates, the bulk and surface compositions of the microflowers were determined using energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (ED-XRF) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) techniques, respectively. Also, the structural and morphological characterizations of the substrates were performed by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope (SEM), respectively. For alloys, the ED-XRF studies confirmed that the bulk compositions matched with the feed ratio, while the surface compositions were found to be rich in copper in the form of both elementary copper and copper oxide, as revealed by XPS studies. From the efficiency studies for different compositions prepared, it was found that 10% Ag-Cu alloy microflowers produced the maximum SERS intensity for resonant R6G molecules as probes. In fact, R6G evidences a 50-fold enhancement in SERS spectra with 10% alloy microflowers as against pure Ag microflowers. Using 1, 2, 3-benzotriazole as a nonresonant Raman probe, uniform enhancement factors on the order of ≈108 were achieved from different parts of the 10% Ag-Cu alloy microflower. The same substrate showed excellent Raman response for detecting R6G at very low concentrations such as 10 zM, leading to detection and analysis of SERS spectra from a single R6G molecule.

Quantitative analysis of trace elements of silver disturbed by pulse pile up based on energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) technique

The detection of trace elements of silver in refined copper based on the portable energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer was disturbed severely by pulse pile-up, so quantitative analysis had a high method detection limit and low accuracy. A new approach was provided to reduce the appearance of the pulse pile-up and lower the detection limit. A robust quantitative model was established. The coefficient of determination R2 of the model was lifted to 0.9927 from 0.9338; the detection limit was reduced to 0.0034 wt%. This model can be used in the metallurgical industry, power plants, and the study of micro-structure enhancement mechanisms.

Levels and health risk assessment of heavy metals in dried fish consumed in Bangladesh

As a cheap source of high-quality protein, healthy fats and essential nutrients, dried fish is a common item in the daily diet of the Bangladesh populace. In this study, ten types of widely consumed dried fish (H. neherius, T. lepturu, P.chinensis, P. affinis, A. mola, P. microdon, I. megaloptera, C. dussumieri, L. calcarifer, and G. chapra) were analyzed for Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, Se, Rb, Hg, Pb, Ni and As by using an Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) technique. The concentration of the studied metals was found in the order Fe > Zn > Hg > Cu > Se > Cr > Mn > Co > Rb > Pb, while As and Ni were below the limit of detection. All fish species showed moderate to high pollution, where the species H. Neherius and P. Chinensis are the most and least polluted ones, respectively. The probable source of contamination is the leaching from the drying pans into the fish samples, atmospheric deposition, anthropogenic contamination, etc. of the water body where these fish were harvested. The calculated hazard index for the general population was below the maximum limiting value (i.e., < 1) except for Hg to children. The carcinogenic risk showed values lower than the acceptable limit for cancer risks (10–6 to 10–4). Periodic monitoring of trace metals in the aquatic organisms along with fish is recommended to avoid any unexpected health hazards caused by the toxic heavy metals via fish consumption.

Elemental Characteristics and Source-Apportionment of PM2.5 During the Post-monsoon Season in Delhi, India

In this study, we have coupled measurements, modeling, and remote sensing techniques to better delineate the source characteristics and variability of air pollutants in Delhi primarily during the post-monsoon season in 2019. We show a comparison of ambient PM2.5 (particulate matter having aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 μm) levels and associated elements during the post-monsoon with those during a relatively clean season of monsoon (experiencing frequent wet precipitation). Air-mass back trajectories from Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model have been used to infer the possible source pathways of PM2.5 impacting at the receptor site in Delhi. The average concentrations of PM2.5 during monsoon (June–July) and post-monsoon (October–November) were 42.2 ± 15.5 μg m−3 (range: 22–73 μg m−3) and 121.4 ± 53.6 μg m−3 (range: 46–298 μg m−3), respectively. The PM2.5 samples were analyzed for heavy and trace elements (Si, S, Na, Mg, Al, Cl, Ca, K, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Br, Rb, Zr, and Pb) using an Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (ED-XRF) technique and their concentrations have been used to carry out the source-apportionment utilizing principal component analysis (PCA) tool. The PCA analysis has identified three major sources of fine aerosols including contributions from the sources viz. vehicular emission, biomass burning, coal combustion, secondary aerosols formation, soil dust, solid-waste burning and industrial emission. The source involving biomass burning contributed largely to the PM2.5 in post-monsoon season through long-range transport of large-scale agriculture-residue burning emissions (occurring in the states of Punjab, Haryana, and western part of Uttar Pradesh). The industrial emissions include primarily, medium- and small-scale metal processing industries (e.g. steel sheet rolling) in Delhi-National Capital Region. Traces of emission from coal based thermal power plants and waste incineration have also been observed in this study.

Application of waste treatment sludge from water treatment in brick production

The aim of the study is to investigate the potential use of water treatment sludge in brick properties as building material. The sludge was collected from water treatment plant and the percentages used in the mixes were 3%, 5%, 7%, 10% 15%, 20%, 40%, and 60% by weight of sand in brick. The specimen without sludge was prepared for comparison. The testing involved chemical analysis of sludges using energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (ED-XRF) technique. Testing of compressive strength was done for hardened state properties. The samples were cured at 7 and 28 days, and the average of three samples of brick samples was measured. The results revealed that the waste sludges had higher components of Zn, Cu, Pb, and As, which was trace element concentrations in the dry sludge samples. Comparisons in terms of strength were made from the control and brick containing sludge specimens. It was observed that sludge in brick performed better when mixed with 5% as partial replacement of sand. However, the more the addition of percentages of sludge in brick, the lesser the strength observed. It can be concluded that waste treatment sludge as a result from the process of water treatment can be utilized as partial replacement of sand in brick production.

Thickness measurement of low-Z films fabricated on thick substrate using EDXRF technique

The present work reports a method for thickness measurements of low-Z films deposited on a thick substrate using energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) technique. For this, ZnO and single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) films (thickness ~ 1–100 mm) were fabricated on thick Si substrates using a sol-gel spin coating technique. The fabricated films were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscope (AFM) measurements. The thicknesses of fabricated films were determined from the measured attenuation of Si-Kαβ characteristics X-rays emitted from the thick Si substrate in coated materials. The thick substrate was excited by Mn Kα (5.895 keV) and Kβ (6.492 keV) X-rays obtained from annular 55Fe radioactive source in reflection mode geometrical setup. The emitted characteristics X-rays were detected by a low energy Ge (LEGe) detector coupled with PC based multichannel analyzer. The obtained results show good agreement with the values obtained from well-established X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements. The experimental results recommend the use of reported methodology for thickness measurement of low-Z materials deposited on a thick substrate for material characterization in future.

Determination of trace elements in cabbage (Brassica oleracea L.var.acephale) and its grown soil at the Black sea region in Turkey

Purpose The most consumed urban crops having many benefits for human health in the northeast Black Sea black cabbage (Brassica oleracea L.var.acephale) leaf and theirs own grown soils were collected from Black Sea cities and towns; Rize, Trabzon, Giresun, Ordu ve Samsun of Turkey from totally 55 stations to determine the element levels in percent of the black cabbage. It is purposed that to obtain the data for each city in terms of element distribution. This study is a very comprehensive work covering almost the entire eastern Black Sea region for elemental measurements in black cabbage and its soil and comparing them between provinces and districts. Method The samples were analyzed by using Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) technique that is a nondestructive method by giving reliable results. The obtained data were evaluated by using the ordinary cricking method and some statistical methods (Mann-Whitney- U Test, Oneway-ANOVA, Pearson and Spearman-Brown correlation test) to determine the correlations between soils, the black cabbage and both compared the element levels between the sampling points. The statistical analysis in soil and black cabbage samples were carried out for 19 and 11 elements, respectively. Results Mg (Magnesium), K (Potassium), Ca (Calcium), Al (Aluminum), Si (Silica), P (Phosphor), S (Sulphur), Ti (Titanium), Fe (Iron), Sr (Strontium), V (Vanadium), Cr (Chromium), Mn (Manganese) for the black cabbage sample and Na (Sodium), Mg, Al, Si, P, S, K, Ca, Ti, Fe, Cu (Copper), Zn (Zinc), Sr, V, Cr, Mn, As (Arsenic), Rb (Rubidium) and Pb (Lead) for soil samples were determined. The determining elements for soils and the black cabbage samples were compared between the working provinces. Conclusions The obtained data showed that the element distribution is similar and not showed a statistical difference for both between each station and cities. Besides, the trace elements in soils are not much affected the black cabbage however Al was found in the cabbage even it is less.

Fabrication of thin Nb target for lifetime measurements of short lived excited nuclear states

The quality of target foils often plays an important role in the success of nuclear physics experiments. Specially, in an experiment intended to measure the level lifetimes of short lived excited nuclear states with Doppler shift attenuation method (DSAM), an isotopically enriched thin target on appropriately thick backing foil of high-Z material is preferentially required. In the present work, a thin (thickness ≈ 0.9 mg/cm2) mono-isotopic Nb target on thick (thickness ≈ 9.2 mg/cm2) lead backing has been prepared using rolling technique at the Inter University Accelerator Center (IUAC), New Delhi. To meet the important criteria of sufficient thickness and proper sticking of two foils without any air gap in-between, some novel methods like heating of stainless steel (SS) pack before rolling, frequent change of rolling pack, use of alcohol during rolling, unidirectional rolling under low pressure specially for rolling lead foil and the composite target, were adopted. The quality check of prepared target foil was done with the energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) technique. The prepared target has been successfully used in a recent DSAM lifetime measurement experiment at IUAC, New Delhi.

Fabrication of 128Te thin target for nuclear levels lifetime measurements

Measuring nuclear level lifetimes of pico-seconds and femto-seconds order is important for understanding typical nuclear shapes. To extract such short lifetimes, specially designed thin targets are needed. A thin isotopically enriched 128Te target of thickness ∼ 1.2 mg/cm2 on the thick backing foil of natural gold of thickness ∼ 9.8 mg/cm2 has been prepared for the Doppler shift attenuation method (DSAM) lifetime measurement. The target was made by vacuum deposition technique using the cryogenic pump based Ultra High Vacuum (UHV) chamber available at the Inter University Accelerator Centre (IUAC), New Delhi. In this activity, a specially designed indigenously developed graphite crucible with 1 mm opening was used to minimize material loss and to improve the deposition efficiency of the material. To get the desired thickness of the target, only 20 mg of isotopically enriched 128Te material was used. The quality check of the prepared foil was done by the Energy Dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) technique.

Spatial and heavy metal assessment in beach sands of east coast of Tamil Nadu, India

Beach sand samples were collected from the East Coast of Tamil Nadu and the concentration of major and trace elements in them were determined using the Energy-dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) technique. The concentration of elements such as Mg, Al, Si, K, Ca, Ti, Fe, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Zr & Sr was determined to assess the contamination status and the degree of pollution level. The abundance of elements in the samples was found to occur in the order: Si > Ca > Fe > Al > Mg > K > Ti > Mn > Zr > Sr > Zn > Pb > Ni > Cd > Cu > Co. The mean concentration of the elements in the beach sand was compared with those in the Earth's Crust, Sandstones, and Ultrabasic Rocks to see if there were any anomalies. The assessment of pollution was carried out by computing the Enrichment factor (EF). The enrichment factor of Fe & Mn indicates that they are possibly from the anthropogenic sources. XRD analysis was carried out to study the influence of heavy metals in the sand samples collected from the study area. SEM-EDX analysis was utilized to reveal the morphology and elemental composition of the selected sand samples. The distribution of metal concentration in the study area was identified by plotting the spatial map. The inter-relationship between the elements was analyzed using the Pearson Correlation Matrix to differentiate between the origin of metals namely anthropogenic or geogenic sources.