Application of x-ray analysis to the study of air particle pollution in northern Italy

✍ Scribed by G. M. Braga Marcazzan

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1998
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 416 KB
• Volume: 27
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0049-8246
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-4539(199807/08)27:4<247::aid-xrs294>3.0.co;2-5

✦ Synopsis

In the framework of a large research programme on air quality in northern Italy managed by the Institute of General and Applied Physics (IFGA), an extensive investigation of air particle pollution was performed. Aerosol sampling campaigns were carried out in areas of di †erent typology in the Po Valley with the aim of determining concentration and composition trends in space and time and also the main sources of pollution. High concentrations of particulate matter were generally measured ; the main components were elements of crustal origin and sulphur compounds. The use of analytical techniques based on the spectroscopy of characteristic x-rays such as EDXRF and PIXE was of great advantage and particularly well suited for the fast and easy determination of major, minor and trace elements in particulate matter.