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Rapid method of arsenic estimation in geological samples by WD-XRF using a novel concept of As–Pb concentration equivalence

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Abstract

The presence of arsenic in ground waters of many countries has been a subject of global concern due to its toxicity. Primary sources of arsenic are geogenic, i.e. weathering and erosion of rocks and soils containing arsenic. This paper presents a rapid method for determination of arsenic in solid geological samples by wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. To achieve the best LLD (lower limit of detection), the most intense X-ray fluorescence line Kα1,2 is preferably used for determination of elemental concentrations because it pertains to the most probable transition. But the greatest challenge in arsenic estimation is the serious line overlap of AsKα1,2 lines with the equi-energy PbLα1,2 lines. By using the conventional line overlap correction methods, uncertainty and detection limits in arsenic determination are degraded to an unacceptable degree in samples which contains high lead and low arsenic concentrations. The proposed method bypasses the line overlap issue in employing a novel concept of arsenic-lead concentration equivalence factor for the cumulative peak of AsKα1,2 and PbLα1,2 fluorescence lines. The constancy of this factor for all geological matrices facilitates arsenic determination in samples universally irrespective of matrix elements. For the method validation, 22 international certified reference materials have been analysed and the results proved to be propitious wherein only one value out of 22 determinations showed relative error more than 20% of the certified values. This attests to the high accuracy of the proposed method which can effectively determine arsenic below 5 mg/kg in the presence of high lead concentration up to 1000 mg/kg.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge Dr. Saibal Ghosh, Deputy Director General (M-IV), for their constant support. Authors are also grateful to Dr. Rupankar Paira from Department of Chemistry, Maharaja Manindra Chandra College, Kolkata, India, for his valuable discussion and inputs.

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Author notes

  1. Ashok Kumar Maurya

    Present address: Geological Survey of India, Nothern Region, Aliganj Sector-E, Lucknow, 226024, India

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geological Survey of India, Eastern Region, Salt Lake Sector II, Kolkata, 700091, India

    Subhendu Ghosh, Ashok Kumar Maurya, Piyali Deb Barman, Ankit Roy, Mukul Madaan & Utpal Roy Choudhury

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  1. Subhendu Ghosh
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Contributions

SG and PDB contributed to methodology, writing, review and editing of manuscript. AKM contributed to conceptualization, supervision, methodology and writing original draft of manuscript. AR and MM contributed to formal analysis and validation. URC contributed to validation and providing resources.

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Correspondence to Ashok Kumar Maurya.

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Ghosh, S., Maurya, A.K., Barman, P.D. et al. Rapid method of arsenic estimation in geological samples by WD-XRF using a novel concept of As–Pb concentration equivalence. ANAL. SCI. 39, 1531–1539 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s44211-023-00367-9

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