Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 27, 2026

Rapid High-throughput Species Identification of Botanical Material Using Direct Analysis in Real Time High Resolution Mass Spectrometry
Published on: October 2, 2016
X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry in Botanical Drugs' Research - Applications, Methodologies, and Future Perspectives
Ling Gao1, CongYing Zhang1, RuiLin Sun2
1College of Basic Medical Sciences, Chifeng University, Chifeng, Inner Mongolia, China.
Abstract:
X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry is increasingly used in botanical drug research for rapid, nondestructive, multi-elemental analysis. This systematic review examines the principles and applications of major XRF techniques-including energy-dispersive XRF (EDXRF), wavelength-dispersive XRF (WDXRF), total reflection XRF (TXRF), synchrotron radiation XRF (SR-XRF), and portable XRF (pXRF)-in medicinal plant analysis. Key applications include heavy metal safety screening, nutritional profiling, provenance traceability, and authenticity verification, particularly when integrated with chemometrics and machine learning. Advances in sample preparation, matrix effect correction, and speciation analysis are discussed. Emerging interdisciplinary applications, such as metallomics, multidimensional characterization, and green nanomaterial analysis, are also highlighted. Despite challenges with detection limits and matrix effects, ongoing hardware and software innovations continue to expand XRF capabilities. Future integration with spatial metabolomics and multimodal imaging promises to reveal the spatial relationship between inorganic elements and bioactive organic constituents, positioning XRF is one of the pivotal methods for modern botanical drug quality control.
Related Concept Videos
Applications of IR Spectroscopy: Overview
X-ray Diffraction of Biological Samples
According to Bragg's law, when X-rays strike the sample positioned on a stage, the rays are scattered by the electron clouds around the sample atoms. The X-ray diffraction or scattering is caused by constructive interference of the X-ray waves that reflect off the internal crystal...
Photoluminescence: Applications
Atomic Fluorescence Spectroscopy

