Quantitative x-ray spectrometric analysis with peak to Compton ratios

• The standardization with the scattered x-rays for quantitative analysis is investigated.
• The calibration curves were established from IA/IComp versus concentration.
• The peak to Compton ratio is highly reliable for quantitative analysis.
• EDXRF results are in good agreement with WDXRF results

Standardization with the scattered x-rays compensates several phenomenons as absorption-enhancement effects, particle size, surface texture effects, packing density and some instrument error. In this work, we used the scattered peak ratio method for quantitative analysis. The samples were prepared from PbO and HgO powders. The calibration curves were created from the intensity ratios of Icoh/ICompIcoh/IComp, ILβ/ICompILβ/IComp, IKα1/ICompIKα1/IComp and IKα2/ICompIKα2/IComp, one for PbO sample and the other for HgO sample, versus concentration in EDXRF (energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence) system. PbO and HgO targets of various concentrations were excited by 59.54 keV γ-rays from a 5 Ci 241Am annular radioactive source in EDXRF system. The emitted and scattered x-rays by samples were counted by an HPGe detector with a resolution of 182 eV at 5.9 keV at a scattering angle of 168°. Also, WDXRF (wavelength dispersive x-ray fluorescence) system was used to compare the concentrations determined by using EDXRF system. It can conclude that the peak to Compton ratio is highly reliable for quantitative analysis and the calculated concentrations are in good agreement with the EDXRF and WDXRF results. This work is important because PbO and HgO are used extensively as shielding material and catalyst in the chemical reactions.