Quantitative elemental analysis of individual particles with the use of micro-beam X-ray fluorescence method and Monte Carlo simulation

Abstract

The aim of the work was to develop a Monte Carlo (MC) method and combine it with micro-beam X-ray fluorescence (XRF) technique for determination of chemical composition of individual particles. A collection of glass micro-spheres, made of NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technoly) K3089 material of known chemical composition, with diameters in the range of 25-45 μm was investigated. The micro-spheres were measured in a scanning micro-beam XRF spectrometer utilising X-ray tube as a source of primary radiation. Results obtained for low Z elements showed high dependence on particle size. It was found that the root mean square of concentration uncertainty, for the all elements present in the particle, increases with growing sample size. More accurate results were obtained for high Z elements such as Fe-Pb, as compared to others. The elemental percentage uncertainty did not exceed 14% for any particular sample and 6% for the whole group of the measured micro-spheres as an average. Results obtained by the Monte Carlo method were compared with other analytical approaches. © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.