In-house manufactured benchtop XRF spectrometer

Author(s)

Gozetto, Jonatha Demetrio ; de Almeida, Eduardo ; Brasil, Marcos Augusto Stolf ; Virgilio, Alex ; Santos, Eduardo ; Furlan, Gil Ribeiro ; de Carvalho, Hudson Wallace Pereira

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: X-RAY SPECTROMETRY; v. N/A, p. 10-pg., 2023-06-14.

Abstract

The growing efficiency of agribusiness depends on the development of technology. A key challenge regards the determination of plant mineral content, which help farmers to make a decision about fertilizer use. Currently, such nutritional status diagnoses are made based on wet chemical methods; they are usually slow and generate chemical wastess. In this context, an in-house manufactured XRF benchtop for agri-samples is proposed in this study. This XRF system was furnished with a manual primary filter changer, vacuum chamber, dual interlock radiological protection system, which were installed in the equipment cover, and light signals. Analytical capabilities were also evaluated. The equipment presented spurious peaks of Ti, Fe, Ni, and Zn, which is not ideal for some agronomical applications; this issue might be overcome in the future by means of additional primary filters. The total x-ray spectrum counting rate is roughly one magnitude order lower than two other commercial XRF systems, but the signal-to-noise ratio is quite similar. The vacuum chamber under partial vacuum improves the Al, Si, P and S signals from 1.5 to 2.2. The limits of detection (LOD, mg kg(-1)) for P (261), S (168), K (68), and Ca (50) macronutrients and Mn (14), Fe (15), Cu (9), and Zn (8) micronutrients are close to the ones reported in the literature. The limits of detection for P, S, K, and Ca are suitable for plant analysis. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 21/01912-0 - Evaluation of analytical procedures for the determination of total and bioaccessible contents of nutrients and toxic elements in functional flours
• Grantee: Alex Virgilio
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 20/11546-8 - Efficiency of foliar application of different sources of calcium in tomatoes: understanding and bypassing low phloem mobility
• Grantee: Eduardo Santos
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 20/11178-9 - CaMov - characterization of calcium foliar uptake, and translocation to fruits: searching for mobile sources of calcium
• Grantee: Hudson Wallace Pereira de Carvalho
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants