Feasibility of Simple Determination of Trace Components in Salt Products by X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry

Abstract

The feasibility of simple determination of trace components (Mg²⁺, SO₄^2-, k⁺, Ca²⁺, Br^-) in salt products was studied by wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF/WDX) and an energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF/EDX) with several preparation methods using model solutions. A filter method, a liquid method, and two types of precipitation methods were adopted for the determination of the components of the salt products. K⁺, Ca²⁺ and Br contents were determined using the filter and liquid methods, and Me content was determined with the precipitation method, in which Mg (OH) ₂ precipitation was carried out by adding NaOH to the sample solutions. SO₄^2- content was also determined with the precipitation method, in which BaSO₄ precipitation was carried out by adding BaCl₂ to the sample solutions. The results suggested that the limit for detection in the case of using XRF/WDX was lower than that in the case of using XRF/EDX. The determination accuracy level using the filter method was higher than that using the liquid method. It was suggested that the XRF/WDX using the precipitation and filter methods would be applicable to the determination of the SO₄^2- content of pure salt, the Mg²⁺, SO₄^2- and Br contents of dried salt, and the contents of all components of common salt.