A Fast Procedure to Analyze Sulphate-Rich Weathered Materials Using X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry

Abstract

This paper describes a fast method for the simultaneous determination of the main major (Si, Al, Fe, K, S, Mg), minor (Ca, Zn, Pb, Ti, As, Mn, Na) and trace elements (Ba, Cd, Sb, Ag, Sr, Cu, Sn, Rb, and Ge) by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry in weathered materials containing natural hydrated sulphates. Fourteen synthetic standards with a fixed matrix and different amounts of the analytes have been prepared. Correlations between elements as well as the reproducibility of the analytical data and the validity of the method have been studied. The values of theoretical minimum detection and quantification limits from As, Ge, Sn, Cd, Ag and Sb have been calculated.

Key Words:

• X-ray spectrometry
• weathering
• geochemistry
• hydrated sulphates