Multielement Analysis of Unweighed Biological and Geological Samples Using Backscatter and Fundamental Parameters

Abstract

A new approach to fundamental parameter calculations has been devised which makes use of incoherent and coherent backscatter intensities from the excitation radiation. The backscatter results from all sample constituents, and thus provides information on total sample mass as well as on bulk sample composition. By appropriately using the scatter intensities in fundamental parameter matrix calculations, accurate analyses of “unknown“ samples can be obtained without prior knowledge of the sample matrix. The backscatter with fundamental parameter (BFP) method is especially advantageous for biological, geological and environmental samples because of their bulk quantities of carbon, oxygen, and other light elements which cannot be explicitly determined for traditional fundamental parameter calculations.