Application of X-ray Fluorescence Analysis to Determination of Elements in Fly Ash

Masaki Takaoka*, Daisuke Nakatsuka**, Nobuo Takeda* and Takeshi Fujiwara*
* Department of Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University
** Environmental Engineering Dept I, Engineering Division, Takuma Co. Ltd.
+ Correspondence should be addressed to Masaki Takaoka:
(Yoshida-honmachi, Sakyo-Ku, Kyoto, 606-8501 Japan)

Abstract
In order to discuss the treatment efficiency of fly ash in intermediate processing and the risk of dispersion of hazardous substances derived from treated fly ash into the environment, it is necessary to measure not only the specified elements but also multi-elements. Therefore, it is important to determine each element contained in fly ash precisely and simultaneously. In this study, the validity of X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF) to determination of elements in fly ash was evaluated by comparing measured value from three analysis methods of XRF, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) and neutron activation analysis (NAA) .
In fly ashes sampled in eighteen municipal solid waste incinerators, analytical results by XRF were in good agreement with those by ICP-AES and NAA for elements contained in large quantities in fly ash. It was found that each element contained in the fly ash except for cobalt, arsenic, selenium and mercury could be determined precisely using both XRF and ICP-AES.

Key words: fly ash, X-ray fluorescence analysis, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission

spectrometry, neutron activation analysis