Investigation of the Emissions of an Antimony Metallurgical Factory with Transmission Electron Microscopy

Abstract

Transmission electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence and selected area electron diffraction has been used for the identification of individual particles in the emissions of an antimony refining plant. Systematic microscopical analysis of 4 distinct Sb-containing particle types can be used to trace sources within the factory and estimate the relative importance of each at distinct sites around the plant. Fugitive emissions appear to be the most important source up to 1.5 km from the factory.