X-ray Fluorescence Analysis Time Can Be Significantly Reduced

X-ray Fluorescence Analysis Time Can Be Significantly Reduced How can the elemental composition of an unknown material like a meteorite be determined? X-ray fluorescence analysis can be used to identify numerous elements by irradiating samples with X-rays and analyzing the spectrum they emit, detecting many elements simultaneously. For this reason, X-ray fluorescence analysis has been used to detect toxic heavy metal levels in soil. Current X-ray fluorescence analysis methods take approximately 10 minutes to correctly identify elements, so new methods capable of measuring large quantities or rapidly obtaining multiple measurements of unknown materials are desired. In this context, Dr. Tsugufumi Matsuyama, Professor Kouichi Tsuji, second-year master's student Masanori Nakae at the Osaka Metropolitan University Engineering Institute, and researchers from the Japan Atomic Energy Agency have developed a new method applying Bayesian estimation to X-ray fluorescence analysis. The group succeeded in reducing the measurement time of an X-ray fluorescence spectrum per measurement point from seven seconds to three seconds; in other words, they shortened by four seconds the time required to obtain analysis results that do not significantly differ from the spectrum obtained from measuring a glass standard sample for one hour. For example, when creating an elemental distribution, up to 10,000 measurements can be taken over a small area depending on the sample. Therefore, reducing the measurement time per point by four seconds can reduce the total measurement time by 40,000 seconds (approximately 11 hours) when creating a basic distribution. Dr. Matsuyama stated, "By using applied Bayesian inference in X-ray fluorescence analysis, we have successfully integrated analytical chemistry and informatics. Further work is needed to determine whether this method can be used to detect trace elements. If we can perform rapid elemental analysis in a non-destructive manner without needing contact with the sample, this technique could become popular in many fields such as analysis of industrial products or monitoring of ongoing chemical reactions in waste materials conveyed on conveyor belts."

Source

The research results were published in Spectrochimica Acta Part B: Atomic Spectroscopy on December 1, 2022. More information: Tsugufumi Matsuyama et al, Spectrum prediction in X-ray fluorescence analysis using Bayesian estimation, Spectrochimica Acta Part B: Atomic Spectroscopy (2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.sab.2022.106593 / Provided by Osaka Metropolitan University / https://phys.org/news/2023-01-bayesian-inference-massively-x-ray-fluorescence.html