We present X-ray spectroscopy measurements to investigate the chemistry and structure of nanoporous alumina using novel instrument CLASSIX [N.R.J. Poolton, B.M. Towlson, B. Hamilton, D.A. Evans, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B246 (2006) 445] (chemistry luminescence and structure of surfaces by micro-imaging X-ray absorption). X-ray excited optical luminescence (XEOL) measurements show that the porous anodic alumina (PAA) films obtained have blue emission band with a peak position at 2.63 eV (470 nm) which can be attributed to mixed emission from F and F + centres. The L Ш absorption edge of aluminium in porous anodic alumina has been observed at 76.64 eV that shows a chemical shift from pure aluminium.