A simple, accurate, precise, and rapid wavelength- Dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometric technique for determining cesium in potassium feldspar

Potassium feldspar is known to contain substantial amounts of cesium. The paper proposes a simple, accurate, precise, rapid, and non-destructive wavelength-dispersive x-ray fluorescence spectrometric technique for determining cesium in potassium feldspar. The technique uses a sequential x-ray fluorescence spectrometer, 100 kV – 80 mA – 3 kW xray generator, rhodium x-ray tube, LiF 220 analysing crystal, fine (150 μm) collimator, air path, scintillation detector, and short counting times.

The accuracy of the technique is excellent (within 1 percent). The precision is also excellent (within 2 percent). The lower limit of detection is 8 ppm. The time taken for determining cesium in a batch of twentyfour samples of potassium feldspar, for a replication of four analyses per sample, by one operator, using a manual wavelength-dispersive x-ray fluorescence spectrometer, is only eight hours.