P 30 ISSRNS 2012: Abstracts / Synchrotron Radiation in Natural Science Vol. 11, No 1 – 2 (2012)
APPLICATION OF THE X-RAY FLUORESCENCE ANALYSIS AND X-RAY DIFFRACTION IN GEOCHEMICAL
STUDIES OF TILL SAMPLES
A. Kubala-Kuku´s1,2∗, M. Ludwikowska-K¸edzia3, D. Bana´s1,2, J. Braziewicz1,2, U. Majewska1,2, M. Pajek1, and J. Wudarczyk-Mo´cko2
1Institute of Physics, Jan Kochanowski University, ´Swi¸etokrzyska 15, 25–406 Kielce, Poland
2Department of Physical Methods, Holycross Cancer Center, Artwi´nskiego 3, 25–734 Kielce, Poland
3Institute of Geography, Jan Kochanowski University, ´Swi¸etokrzyska 15, 25–406 Kielce, Poland Keywords: X-ray fluorescence, X-ray powder diffraction, geochemical composition, till samples
∗e-mail : aldona.kubala-kukus@ujk.edu.pl
The elemental analysis of soil samples is in the interest of many fields of science as for example agri- culture, biology or geography. One of the main and often concerned topic of this analysis is an influence of the environmental pollution on the soil heavy metals concentration. Knowledge of the soil ele- mental composition can be also essential for un- derstanding of the soil genesis. In investigations of the elements concentration and mineral compo- sition of the soil samples many X-ray spectrometry techniques have been successfully employed. One of the most known methods of X-ray spectrometry are wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence anal- ysis (WDXRF) [1, 2] and X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) method [3]. The XRPD technique gives information about the chemical composition of the analyzed samples while the WDXRF studies allowed on the fast elemental analysis, simultaneously in wide range of elements and broad range of the de- termined concentration (from tens of µg/g to tens of percent). The WDXRF method is also very effective for the analysis of the samples with a very rich com- position.
In presented work WDXRF and XRPD techniques have been applied in the geochemical studies of the till samples. The till samples were collected from region of Holy Cross Mountains — a mountain range located in central Poland. These Polish mountains, being one of the oldest mountains in Europe, are still not unambiguously described in the context of the geochemical studies of the quater- nary sediments. The position of till from which the samples were taken is located in the west part of the Holy Cross Mountains, in the nature reserve S lopiec.
The analysis was concentrated on the geochemical composition of the till samples both for materials occurring on the surface, which are characterized by continuous weathering processes, and for samples taken from bore-hole S lopiec which depth was 60 m.
These X-ray fluorescence analysis and X-ray diffrac- tion studies of the till samples are complementary research program to comprehensive sedimentologi-
cal studies of the till and sediment samples from different part of Holy Cross Mountains. The stud- ies were concentrated both on the methodological aspect and general interpretation of the obtained results.
As the results of WDXRF measurements performed with AXIOS spectrometer the concen- tration of 36 elements (from oxygen to lead) were determined in till samples. The range of the mea- sured concentrations were very broad: from about 10 µg/g to 40%. The XRPD analysis of the chemical composition of the till samples was done by using X’Pert PRO diffractometer. The obtained results have shown changes in geochemical composition of the samples depending on the its localization. Geo- chemical depth profile was compared with the sedi- mentological properties.
The concentrations of main elements were also used for analysis of oxides: Al2O3, CaO, Na2O and K2O, which levels define chemical alternation index (CIA) and chemical weathering index (CIW) [4].
The CIA and CIW factors describe the weathering processes in the sediments, which can well recon- struct till samples genesis and geo-history.
In the presented work the experimental setups, sample preparation procedures, measurements pro- gram and first results will be discussed in details.
References
[1] R.E. Van Grieken, A.A. Markowicz (eds.), Handbook of X-ray Spectrometry (Marcel Dekker, New York 1993).
[2] J.P. Willis, A.R. Duncan, Understanding XRF Spectrometry (PANalytical B.V., Almelo 2008).
[3] V.K. Pecharsky, P.Y. Zavalij, Fundamentals of Powder Diffraction and Structural Characterization of Materials (Springer, New York 2009).
[4] Chao Li, Shouye Yang, “Is chemical index of alteration (CIA) a reliable proxy for chemical weath- ering in global drainage basins?,” Am. J. Sci. 310 (2010) 111 – 127.
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