X-Ray Emission Analysis of Metals Emitted by Industry and Natural Emission

One century after the discovery of x-rays a break through has been achieved in the applied field of environmental science.  While in the seventies and eighties typical applications were in the field of geology this interest has shifted to environmental application, mostly water and air pollution monitoring. Later developments of microscopic x-ray beams enabled to determine the distribution of metals in biological objects: plants, trees, animal tissues or fossils.  Such bulk, or lateral resolution methods can be used to reconstruct even historical emissions and their dispersion in the enviromnent.

In present times conventional direct or secondary target XRF is mostly applied for solid samples, whereas the liquid analysis has almost completely shifted to TXRF. Heavy metals like Hg, Cd and Pb due to their high toxicity are of special interest on the other hand the relevant techniques are not straightforward in view of the volatile nature and low concentrations.  Collection of this kind of species could be performed principally by wet dissolving methods or solid sorbent methods.  In the former case the sampling procedure, storage and preparation are generally considered more complex and laborious while the later solution seems to be more capable for XRF.
 
 
 

Research appointments:	1977 - 1981	research assistant Central Research Institute for Physics, Hungary
	1981 - 1985	research associate Central Research Institute for Physics, Hungary
	1985	post doc. University of Antwerp
	Present assignment:	Head of Department of Radiation and Environmental Physics of KFKI Atomic Energy Research Institute - Budapest Member of management board of KFKI