Definition
X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis is one of the best analytical techniques to perform nondestructive elemental analysis of solid or liquid samples for major and minor components. A sample is excited by bombarding with X-rays causing ejection of inner electrons with subsequent emission of the characteristic (fluorescence) X-rays of the sample. The energy of the fluorescence X-rays is a characteristic of an element, and their intensities are proportional to the number of excited atoms and thus can be used for qualitative and quantitative analysis of the sample.
Introduction
Since discovery of X-rays by Rontgen in 1895, interaction of X-rays with an atom became a target of eager study in physics research, and X-ray spectroscopy was developed (Bertin 1978). At early stage of X-ray spectroscopy development, Moseley (1913) showed that the chemical composition of a substance can be determined with the aid of X-ray spectroscopy. However, introduction of modern X-ray spectrometer...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Bertin EP (1978) Introduction to X-ray spectrometric analysis. Plenum Press, New York, pp 1–3
Fukuda N, Hokura A, Kitajima N, Terada Y, Saito H, Abe T, Nakai I (2008) Micro X-ray fluorescence imaging and micro X-ray absorption spectroscopy of cadmium hyper-accumulating plant, Arabidopsis halleri ssp. gemmifera, using high-energy synchrotron radiation. J Anal At Spectrom 23:1068–1075
Grieken Rene EV and Markowicz AA (1993) Handbook of X-ray spectrometry: methods and techniques, Marcel Dekker, Inc. New York, pp 75–180
Mimura H et al (2010) Breaking the 10 nm barrier in hard-X-ray focusing. Nat Phys 6:122–125
Moseley HGJ (1913) XCIII. The high-frequency spectra of the elements. Philos Mag 26:1024–1034
Muller R (1972) Spectrochemical analysis by X-ray fluorescence. Springer, New York, pp 11–129, pp 215–324
Nakai I (2004) High energy X-ray fluorescence. In: Tsuji K, Injuk J, Griken RV (eds) X-ray spectrometry: recent technological advance. Wiley, pp 355–372
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature
About this entry
Cite this entry
Nakai, I. (2018). X-Ray Fluorescence Analysis. In: White, W.M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Geochemistry. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39312-4_321
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39312-4_321
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-39311-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-39312-4
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Earth and Environmental Sciences