15 de agosto de 2018 | Aplicações, Publicações

Portable X-ray fluorescence system to measure Th and U concentrations

M.A.G. Silveira, B.R. Pereira, N.H. Medina, M.A. Rizzutto

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity V. 189, Pages 250-254, September 2018

30/04/2018

Abstract

This study reports the results obtained in the analysis of waste material samples generated by the industries of phosphate fertilizers, in particular, the use of specific filters in a portable X-ray fluorescence system, a simple equipment allowing the characterization, identification and quantification of low concentrations of Th and U (ppm). The industrial byproduct is classified as a Technologically-Enhanced, Naturally-Occurring Radioactive Material - TENORM, and therefore requires monitoring for its radio-toxic activity due to the presence of radioactive thorium and uranium families. From the results obtained, it is concluded that this technique is able to determine the contents of these elements to concentrations of tens of ppm in measurements of about 300 s, and a small sample amount (∼0.1 g).

10.1016/j.jenvrad.2018.04.012