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Evaluating the portable X-ray fluorescence reliability for metal(loid)s detection and soil contamination status
Zain Alabdain Alqattan1, Janick F Artiola1, Dan Walls1,2
1Department of Environmental Science, College of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment
|July 29, 2024
Summary
Portable X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (pXRF) is a reliable and cost-effective alternative to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for monitoring soil contaminants in marginalized communities. This method accurately measures key elements, aiding environmental public health efforts.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Analytical Chemistry
- Public Health
Background:
- Marginalized communities face barriers in soil monitoring and knowledge transfer.
- Accurate soil contaminant analysis is crucial for environmental public health.
- Traditional methods like ICP-MS are effective but costly and time-consuming.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the efficacy of portable X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (pXRF) against inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for soil contaminant analysis.
- To assess the reliability of pXRF in marginalized communities with varying soil preparation practices.
- To determine if pXRF is a viable, cost-effective alternative for environmental monitoring.
Main Methods:
- Collected surface soil samples from residential (Arizona, USA) and public (Troy, New York, USA) sites.
- Analyzed samples using both pXRF and ICP-MS, accounting for different soil preparation methods.
- Employed statistical analyses (t-test, ANOVA, Bland-Altman plots) and calculated pollution indices (PLI, EF, Igeo).
Main Results:
- pXRF showed no significant difference from ICP-MS for several elements (As, Ba, Ca, Cu, Mn, Pb, Zn).
- Pollution Load Index (PLI) > 1 indicated soil pollution in both states.
- pXRF demonstrated similar contamination assessments to ICP-MS for most elements, proving reliable for key contaminants.
Conclusions:
- pXRF is a reliable and cost-effective tool for screening soil samples for common environmental contaminants.
- This method can improve soil monitoring in underserved communities, supporting environmental public health.
- pXRF offers a practical alternative to ICP-MS for assessing soil contamination.
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