Proton Particle-induced X-ray Emission Research Articles

Helium and Proton Particle-Induced X-Ray Emission (PIXE) for Characterization of PM2.5 from Surabaya, Indonesia

Generally, particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) analysis is performed using protons as the incident projectiles. In this study, helium ions were used for inducing X-ray emission to improve the detection limit for the characterization of light elements in the PM2.5 fine fraction. The sampling was conducted for 24 h using a Gent stacked filter unit sampler at an industrial site in Surabaya, Indonesia. The samples were analyzed by PIXE using a 4-MV Van de Graaff accelerator at Kyoto University. Both helium and protons were used in the analysis to obtain optimal results, and 21 elements were detected in the samples. Notably, the use of helium particle-induced X-ray emission was more suitable for Na, Mg, Al, and Si than protons. Moreover, the sensitivity and limit of detection for these elements were enhanced using helium ions. Validation was performed using standard reference material NIST 2783 air particulates on filter media, and the results were in good agreement. Using both He-PIXE and H-PIXE, heavy metals, crustal elements, and other elements were identified that exhibited the characteristics of PM2.5 collected in Surabaya, Indonesia. Further statistical analysis and receptor modeling are required to identify the possible pollutant sources of PM2.5.

Development of a 20MeV proton particle-induced X-ray emission analysis method in a helium atmosphere

We developed a 20[Formula: see text]MeV particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) analysis method using a medical cyclotron, which is conventionally used for positron emission tomography analysis performed in vacuo, during which the target sample is damaged. For non-destructive analysis and ease of switching between target samples, we developed a technique allowing 20[Formula: see text]MeV proton PIXE analysis to be performed at the atmospheric pressure. We filled the PIXE analysis chamber with helium and checked that the continuous background of the Compton tails of nuclear reaction [Formula: see text]-rays increased only minimally, and that the quasi-free electron bremsstrahlung (QFEB) did not increase at all, in the X-ray energy spectrum.

Estimation of arsenic in nail using silver diethyldithiocarbamate method

<p>Spectrophotometric method of arsenic estimation in nails has four steps: a) washing of nails, b) digestion of nails, c) arsenic generation, and finally d) reading absorbance using spectrophotometer. Although the method is a cheapest one, widely used and effective, it is time consuming, laborious and need caution while using four acids. </p><p><strong>Introduction</strong></p><p>Estimation of total arsenic in water and biological samples are important for the diagnosis of arsenicosis (Misbahuddin, 2015). Biological samples include blood, urine, hair and nail. The normal amount of arsenic in blood is very low and requires sophisticated instrument to detect. Presence of arsenic in urine indicates recent exposure of arsenic. Absence of arsenic in urine sometimes does not exclude the diagnosis of arsenicosis. High concentration of arsenic in hair and nail indicates chronic exposure. The accumulation of arsenic in hair is less than the nail. There is superstition in some countries not to give hair sample. Compared to urine or blood samples, nails have the advantage of facilitating specimen collection, storage, and transportation. Therefore, the estimation of arsenic in nail is the preferred biological sample for easy collection (Karagas et al., 1996).</p><p>Estimation of arsenic in nail can be done using spectrophotometer, atomic absorption spectrometer with hydride generator (AAS-HG), High performance liquid chromatography with hydride generation with atomic fluorescence spectrometer (HPLC-HG-AFS), inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) (Chen et al., 1999), proton particle-induced X-ray emission and neutron activation analysis. Among these methods spectrophotometric method using silver diethyldithiocarbamate (SDDC) is still an effective, widely used and cheapest method.</p><p>In this method, arsenic reacts with zinc in presence of acid to produce arsine gas (AsH<sub>3</sub>) which is scrubbed through lead acetate impregnated glass wool (remove hydrogen sulfide) and is absorbed in SDDC dissolved in hexamethylenetetramine. The red color developed due to arsine silver diethyldithio-carbamate reaction is measured by spectrophotometer at wavelength of 535 nm.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Video Clips</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/V9bapA0cp1g">Nail wash</a>: 3.2 min</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/BrG2TIWOATI">Digestion of nail</a>: 7.0 min</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/LfnNzHnIGT8">Arsine generation</a>: 10.0 min</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/kyCP0rumD1k">Reading absorbance</a>: 1.2 min</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p>

Analysis of composites for restorative dentistry by PIXE, XRF and ERDA

Composites used in dentistry bring into the organism elements that may induce adverse biological effects. We applied 3 MeV proton particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) and photon-excited X-ray fluorescence (XRF) in the qualitative analysis of 10 dental composites and we tested copper-beam elastic recoil detection analysis (ERDA) on one material. PIXE, and partly XRF, evidenced Si, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Sr, Ag, Zr, Cd, In, Ba, Yb, Y, Ho, Hf and Pb, many of them at trace levels, while ERDA detected H, B, C, N, O, F, Na, Al and Si.

Mineralogy of the Louvres Merovingian garnet cloisonne jewelry; origins of the gems of the first kings of France

Proton-particle induced X-ray emission (p-PIXE) analyses have been performed on cloisonné jewelry from a necropolis excavated in 1987 at Louvres (North Paris) that dates from the Early Middle Ages (fifth through sixth centuries). Stylistic analysis of the jewelry indicates that they may have belonged to members of the close entourage of Childéric I or Clovis I, the Frankish kings that founded the French monarchy. The analyses suggest that all red cloisonne´s of the treasure are garnets of three types: rhodolite (type I), pyrope (type II), and Cr-rich pyrope (type III). These garnets have moderateto- high Mg contents (40 to 70 mol% pyrope). Surprisingly, no common almandine garnets were found. Type III garnets are likely to have originated in the Podsedice area (Bohemia, Czech Republic). Types I and II garnets probably originated from granulitictype terrains, which are relatively rare in the ancient world. India-Sri-Lanka, Central Europe, and Scandinavia are the most likely origins for these garnets but it is not possible here to constrain these origins more accurately. These results emphasize the variety of possible sources for raw material used in Merovingian cloisonnés. The most aristocratic sepultures contain the geologically rarest garnets (i.e., the garnets richest in pyrope endmember). This correlation may suggest a relatively modern knowledge by the Franks in their evaluation of gem garnets (i.e., the geologically rarest gems are the most precious). This concept is more consistent with the Arab gemological writings of the fifth through ninth centuries than with those of the Roman lapidaries of the first through seventh centuries.

The status of trace and minor elements in pulses: A PIXE measurement

The proton particle induced X-ray emission (proton PIXE) technique has been employed to study the heavy element status (essential and toxic) in five different varieties of pulses commonly cultivated and consumed in Bangladesh. In this analysis, the samples were irradiated in air with 2 MeV protons having 30 nA beam intensity for characteristic X-ray excitation. For 40 μC irradiations, the concentration of ten elements (K, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Br, and Rb) was determined by comparison with a calibration obtained from the NBS orchard leaf standard, SRM 1571. In a comparative study with atomic absorption spectrophotometric (AAS) measurements of some elements in lathyrus sativus, the data were found to be in good agreement. The results obtained from the present study are discussed and compared with available data.

Multielement proton-induced x-ray emission analysis of Bangladeshi tobacco

The concentration of 12 different elements in cigarette tobacco of different brands, commercially made in Bangladesh, was determined using the proton particle-induced x-ray emission (proton PIXE) method. In all the present experiments, proton beams of 2.0 MeV (on the target in air) and about 30 nA current were used for characteristic x-ray excitation. The concentration of the elements (K, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Br, Rb and Sr) was determined by comparison with a calibration obtained from the NBS orchard leaf standard, SRM 1571. The results have been compared with available data on some foreign brands of tobacco and the probable reasons for the difference in the contents of some of the elements found in the Bangladeshi brands are discussed.

Trace elements in human fingernails: Measurement by proton-induced X-ray emission

The method of proton particle-induced X-ray emission (proton PIXE) has been employed to study the trace element composition of human fingernails. The samples were colleted from 51 subjects randomly selected from a working community of about 500 adults and they were analyzed by the thick-target external beam technique of the PIXE method. The samples were exposed to the proton beam as 1-mm thick pellets and irradiated with 2 MeV protons having 20 nA beam intensity. For 40 μC irradiations, the concentration of fourteen elements, K, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Br, Rb, Sr and Pb, were measured by comparison with a calibration obtained from the NBS orchard leaf standard (SRM 1571). Some anomalous cases have been revealed from this study and they are attributed to environmental factors. The frequency distributions of the elements are presented and the results compared with available data.

Proton induced X-ray emission analysis of biological samples: Some approaches and applications

Abstract The method of proton particle induced X-ray emission (proton PIXE) has been used by several teams of researchers for minor and trace element analysis of many interesting biological samples. The proton PIXE analysis method is often ideal for such samples because it allows for the simultaneous determination of several elements and requires only a small sample. Difficult problems are often encountered in preparing samples suitable for PIXE analysis and considerable imagination has been used to solve these problems. Samples both thick and thin in comparison to the particle-beam range have been used. Thin samples are usually supported on thin foils. Procedures used in preparing thins samples have included wet ashing, dry ashing, nebulization of a suspension, freeze-drying, sectioning with a microtome, and spiking with noninterfering elements. Each method of sample analysis has advantages which must be understood when choosing a method for a particular problem.

Elemental analysis of obsidian artifacts by proton-induced x-ray emission

Proton particle-induced x-ray emission (proton PIXE) analysis has been used for the determination of minor and trace element concentrations in obsidian artifacts. Thin targets were made from the acid digests of 30 to 100 mg of finely powdered obsidian samples. Concentrations are reported for K, Ca, Tl, Ba, Mn, Fe, Zn, Ga, Rb, Sr, and Zr. Forty-nine obsidian artifacts from Northern Campeche, Mexico, were analyzed. Methods used for the association of obsidian artifacts with geological sources are illustrated.