Application of micro-PIXE to quantitative analysis of heavy elements sorbed on minerals

Heavy element-sorbing montmorillonite and apatite were analyzed by micro-PIXE to examine its applicability to quantitative analysis of the heavy elements sorbed on these minerals. It was found that the sorbed heavy elements can be evaluated quantitatively using the linear correlation between the following two factors: (a) the concentration of the sorbed element in the mineral and (b) the ratio of the net peak area of characteristic X-ray from the sorbed element and to that from the matrix cation of the mineral. Mineralogical features of the tested minerals including heterogeneity of elemental distribution in the depth direction of the mineral hardly affected the results.