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Updated: Aug 19, 2026

Quantitative Analysis by Thermogravimetry-Mass Spectrum Analysis for Reactions with Evolved Gases
Published on: October 29, 2018
Analysis of arsenic and some other elements in coal fly ash by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy
Akira Ohki1, Tsunenori Nakajima, Yuka Sakaguchi
1Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kagoshima University, 1-21-40 Korimoto, Kagoshima 890-0065, Japan. ohki@be.kagoshima-u.ac.jp
Abstract:
Surface characterization of coal fly ash (CFA) was carried out by use of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), especially focusing on the occurrence of As. A peak in the XPS spectrum of CFA was assigned to oxide forms of As(3d). The molar ratios of Al, As, Ca, Fe, and S normalized to Si were obtained from XPS analysis (MR-X). Also, the molar ratios of those elements were calculated from bulk analysis (total element concentration in CFA) (MR-B). The MR-X/MR-B ratio of As was much higher than those of other elements, suggesting that As is highly enriched on the surface of CFA. When eight CFA samples were analyzed, there was an approximate relationship between the MR-X values and MR-B values for As. The leaching of elements from CFA was examined by XPS analysis and by bulk analysis. The leaching tests using EDTA and HNO3 resulted in a great decrease in the As(3d) peak area; the %leaching of As obtained by XPS analysis was almost equal to that by bulk analysis.
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