Portable X-ray fluorescence system to measure Th and U concentrations
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Updated: Feb 11, 2026

Preparing Adherent Cells for X-ray Fluorescence Imaging by Chemical Fixation
Published on: March 12, 2015
Marcilei A Guazzelli da Silveira1, Bruno Ribeiro Pereira1, Nilberto H Medina2
1Centro Universitário da FEI, São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil.
Abstract:
This study reports the results obtained in the analysis of waste material samples generated by the industries of phosphate fertilizers, in particular, the use of specific filters in a portable X-ray fluorescence system, a simple equipment allowing the characterization, identification and quantification of low concentrations of Th and U (ppm). The industrial byproduct is classified as a Technologically-Enhanced, Naturally-Occurring Radioactive Material - TENORM, and therefore requires monitoring for its radio-toxic activity due to the presence of radioactive thorium and uranium families. From the results obtained, it is concluded that this technique is able to determine the contents of these elements to concentrations of tens of ppm in measurements of about 300 s, and a small sample amount (∼0.1 g).
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