Analysis of Air Pollution Using X-Ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy

Analysis of air pollution using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy

Dr. Pascal Lemberge, X-ray fluorescence (XRF) Application Specialist at Thermo Fisher Scientific, outlines how to categorize a hazardous air pollutant while supplying an overview of effective elemental acquisition methods for detecting and monitoring these contaminants. The discussion explores how compound-specific analyzers already effectively monitor high concentration contaminants, such as nitrous oxides and sulfur dioxides. However, studying aerosols in the atmosphere poses additional challenges since they cannot be easily detected using high concentration analyzers for low concentration pollutants.

Analysis of air pollution using energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy

Rather than misusing compound-specific analyzers, Dr. Lemberge highlights how energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) instruments are best for detecting aerosols because of their ease of application, non-destructive sampling, and sensitivity to particles down to nanograms per square centimeter. The discussion explores how possible collaboration between scientists, corporate entities, and governments can tackle this ever-looming crisis, and outlines applicable solutions on how to manage air contaminants in the present.

Inside the interview:

  • The parameters for defining an air pollutant and the risk they pose
  • How methods such as EDXRF and XRF are used to characterize these contaminants 
  • Present solutions on how to effectively manage this health and environmental hazard

More about the speaker: 

Dr. Pascal Lemberge
Dr. Pascal Lemberge is an XRF Application Specialist with a focus on XRF application development and customer support with Thermo Fisher Scientific. His PhD in chemistry from the University of Antwerp was funded with an IWT grant. Dr. Lemberge was also involved in a post-doctoral research project called DIAMANT, part of MEDEA+, an industry-initiated pan-European program for advanced co-operative research and development in microelectronics.

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