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XRF Sample Preparation Method Development
XRF sample preparation is a precise methodology of preparing analytes for elemental analysis. Organic samples must be uniformly homogenized using hydraulic crushing or pulverizing equipment, before they are dosed with a eutectic flux mixture and prepared through fusion techniques. This sensitive, multi-component procedure enables researchers to acquire as close to near-homogenous x-ray fluorescence data from a sample as possible, with applications ranging from geological exploration to forensics analysis. These high-precision applications require results that are actionable with negligible margins of error.
Expert method developments for XRF sample preparation routines enable operators and researchers to acquire appropriate equipment and treatment chemicals for distinct specifica...
How ICP Spectroscopy is Applied to Archaeology
Inductively-coupled plasma (ICP) spectroscopy has provided archeological researchers with an ideal resource for quantitatively and non-destructively determining the elemental composition of a sample. ICP spectroscopy only requires small surface samples to acquire detailed information relating to sample trace elements and the provenance of geochemical analytes. This is due to the outstanding sensitivity of ICP mass spectrometry equipment, which is designed to perform sample analysis and provide data pertaining to the concentration of metals and select non-metal materials present in the analyte. ICP spectroscopy can accurately quantify the presence of elements with concentrations below the parts per million (ppm) range.
This extreme level of precision makes ICP spectroscopy uniquel...
Using Reference Materials for XRF Analysis
X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis enables researchers to accurately map the elemental compositions of a sample by observing extremely weak fluorescent signals in a spectrometry sample chamber. This equipment must display exceptional long-term stability and precision to ensure that test results remain within acceptable parameters. These parameters are regularly monitored using reference materials, which are pre-defined elemental compositions of established laboratory standards.
XRF reference materials are homogenous samples of tightly-controlled molecular contents. They enable analysts to perform precise quality control and assurance tests by providing a recognized industry benchmark from which to test the accuracy of a spectrometer or other measurement instrumentation.
