PIXE analysis of aerosol samples

Generally speaking, the PIXE method is a highly suitable tool, particularly for studying aerosols. It is a non-destructive, rapid, multi-elemental technique that requires very small quantities of material to be analyzed and very small target areas.

Element concentrations can be established from an air volume of a few hundred liters for city aerosol samples, and sample surface areas can be as small as 1 cm in diameter or even less. Such small quantities of material to be analyzed can make other analytical techniques comparatively less effective.

As a result, samples can be collected at short intervals, and variations in element concentration can even be measured over the course of a day. Since very small spots of material are acceptable in PIXE, aerosol particles can be divided into size fractions in a cascade impactor, so that coarse, respirable...