Environmental Technology Verification Report: Field Portable X-ray Fluorescence211 Analyzer. Spectrace TN 9000 and Tn Pb Field Portable X-ray Fluorescence 211 Analyzers. Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation

摘要

In April 1995, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sponsored a211u001edemonstration of field portable X-ray fluorescence (FPXRF) analyzers. The primary 211u001eobjectives of this demonstration were to evaluate these analyzers for: (1) their 211u001eanalytical performance relative to standard analytical methods, (2) the influence 211u001eof sample matrix variations (texture, moisture, heterogeneity, and chemical 211u001ecomposition) on performance, (3) the logistical and economic resources needed to 211u001eoperate these technologies in the field, and (4) to test and validate an SW-846 211u001edraft method for FPXRF analysis. Secondary objectives for this demonstration were 211u001eto evaluate FPXRF analyzers for their reliability, ruggedness, cost, range of 211u001eusefulness, data quality, and ease of operation. Both analyzer exhibited 211u001eprecision similar to the reference methods at the 5 to 10 times the precision 211u001ebased method detection limit (MDL) concentration level. As expected, the chromium 211u001edata generally showed the poorest precision of the primary analytes. Of the four 211u001esample preparation steps evaluated, the initial sample homogenization had the 211u001egreatest impact on data comparability. Site and soil texture did not appear to 211u001eaffect data comparability. Based on the performance of both TN Spectrace 211u001eanalyzers, this demonstration found them to be effective for characterizing the 211u001econcentration of metals in soil samples. As with all PFXRF analyzers, unless a 211u001euser has regulatory approval, confirmatory sampling and data correction is 211u001erecommended when using these analyzers for site characterization and remediation 211u001emonitoring.