• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.206.2-206.2
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• 2014

Recently, particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE) analysis system was installed at the 2MV ion acceleration system in Korea institute science and technology (KIST). This installation is for complement to low atomic resolution of heavy atoms at Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) system. For quantitative analysis, a mass calibration of the PIXE set-up has been done with thin film standards and. The GUPIX software package has been used to process the PIXE spectra and the results are compared with the values from RBS system. Therefore, the instrumental constant H (solid angle and correction factor) is determined relying completely on the GUPIX data base (cross-sections, fluorescence and Coster-Kronig probabilities, stopping powers and attenuation coefficients) for a large set of elements. These H values can be used in future analysis.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.59-63
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• 2014

Proton Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) is a MeV ion beam analysis method for use with particle accelerators. PIXE uses low-energy charged particles as an excitation mechanism to generate characteristic x-ray emission from each element in a target. In PIXE analysis, the beam current used is from a few nA to several tens of nA. Chosun University (Cyclotron Research Center) designed a $50{\mu}A$ beam line from the 13 MeV cyclotron for use with a PIXE analysis system, as well as performing beam transport line optimization research. In this study, the beam line operation conditions for the optimization process of beam transport and beam characteristics are shown.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.1597-1605
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• 2022

A porous silica-based adsorbent was prepared by impregnating the pores of a silica support with the extractant 1,3-[(2,4-diethylheptylethoxy)oxy]-2,4-crown-6-calix[4]arene (Calix[4]arene-R14) and an additive agent 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (C₂mim ⁺ NTf^-₂) as the materials to remove cesium(I) (Cs⁺) ions from seawater. The as-prepared adsorbent showed excellent adsorption performance toward Cs⁺ ions, with adsorption equilibrium reached within 2 h and an adsorption amount of 0.196 mmol/g observed. The solution pH, temperature, and the presence of coexisting metal ions were found to have almost no effect on Cs⁺ adsorption. The adsorption mechanism was considered to proceed via ion exchange between Cs⁺ and C₂mim⁺. In addition, the particle-induced X-ray emission analysis results further clarified that the adsorbed Cs⁺ ion species on the adsorbent was in the form of both CsCl and CsBr.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.99-104
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• 2023

Trace elements (TEs) have significant effects on both dental health and human health. Toxic effects are caused by deficiency or excess of TEs. This study was performed to determine levels of toxic and trace elements in incisor and molar teeth sampled from male and female participants residing in the north and south regions of Sudan. The tooth enamel of 18 extracted human teeth was analyzed using particle-induced x-ray emission (µ-PIXE) to determine its elemental profile and distribution. GeoPIXEII software package was used for the analysis of µ-PIXE data. The main elements determined were Na, Mg, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Mn, Fe, Zn, Co, and Sr which were homogeneously distributed in the areas of the tooth enamel mapped with micro-PIXE.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.10
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• pp.3641-3649
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• 2022

A simple solvothermal reaction was used to prepare a 3-aminopropyl-functionalized silica-gel-based adsorbent for adsorbing Pd(II) from the nitric acid solution. Scanning electron microscopy, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetry analysis were performed on the as-synthesized adsorbent to demonstrate the successful introduction of Schiff base groups. Batch experiments were used to investigate the effects of contact time, nitric acid concentration, solution temperature, and adsorption capacity. It is worth noting that the prepared adsorbent exhibited a higher affinity toward Pd(II) with the uptake approximately 100% even in a 2 M HNO₃ solution. At an equilibrium time of 5 h, the maximum adsorption capacity of Pd(II) was estimated to be 0.452 mmol/g. The adsorbed Pd(II) could be completely eluted by dissolving 0.2 M thiourea solution in 0.1 M HNO₃. Using a combination of particle-induced X-ray emission analysis and an X-ray photoelectron spectrometer, the adsorbed Pd was found to be uniformly distributed on the surface of the prepared adsorbent and the existing species were Pd(II) and zero-valent Pd(0). Due to the desirable performances, facile preparation method, and abundant raw material source, the prepared adsorbent demonstrated a high application potential in the recovery of Pd(II) from simulated high-level liquid waste treatment.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.154-161
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• 2014

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the chemical characteristics of Asian dust (hereafter called "AD") particles with the aid of the most advanced micro-PIXE (Particle-induced X-ray emission) analytical technique. To this end, size-selected particles were sampled on a rural peninsula of Korea (Byunsan, 35.37N; 126.27E) during AD and non-AD periods in 2004. The coarse particle (> $2{\mu}m$) number density during an AD event were 170 times higher than those of the non-AD counterpart. The average net-count of silica in individual particles collected on AD event was roughly 11 times higher than that of non-AD counterpart. The X-ray net-counts of trace elements (Zn, Co, Mn, and V) were also considerably high in AD relative to the non-AD day. Particle classification based on the inter ratio analysis of elemental net-count suggests that a large portion of the coarse particles collected during AD event underwent chemical transformation to a certain degree. The visual interpretation of micro-PIXE elemental maps and elemental localization data in and/or on individual AD particles clarified the internal mixture of AD particles with sea-salt and artificial metallic particles.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.957-962
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• 2018

The gamma radiation shielding capability (GRSC) of two clay-materials (Ball clay and Kaolin)of Southwestern Nigeria ($7.49^{\circ}N$, $4.55^{\circ}E$) have been investigated by determine theoretically and experimentally the mass attenuation coefficient, ${\mu}/{\rho}(cm^2g^{-1})$ of the clay materials at photon energies of 609.31, 1120.29, 1173.20, 1238.11, 1332.50 and 1764.49 keV emitted from $^{214}Bi$ ore and $^{60}Co$ point source. The mass attenuation coefficients were theoretically evaluated using the elemental compositions of the clay-materials obtained by Particle-Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) elemental analysis technique as input data for WinXCom software. While gamma ray transmission experiment using Hyper Pure Germanium (HPGe) spectrometer detector to experimentally determine the mass attenuation coefficients, ${\mu}/{\rho}(cm^2g^{-1})$ of the samples. The experimental results are in good agreement with the theoretical calculations of WinXCom software. Linear attenuation coefficient (${\mu}$), half value layer (HVL) and mean free path (MFP) were also evaluated using the obtained ${\mu}/{\rho}$ values for the investigated samples. The GRSC of the selected clay-materials have been compared with other studied shielding materials. The cognizance of various factors such as availability, thermo-chemical stability and water retaining ability by the clay-samples can be analyzed for efficacy of the material for their GRSC.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.176-183
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• 2017

Although it is well known that rain plays an important role in capturing air pollutants, its quantitative evaluation has not been done enough. In this study, the effect of raindrop size on pollutant scavenging was investigated by clarifying the chemical nature of individual size-resolved raindrops and their residual particles. Raindrops as a function of their size were collected using the raindrop collector devised by our oneself in previous study (Ma et al., 2000) during high atmospheric loading for $PM_{2.5}$. Elemental analyses of solid residues and individual residual particles in raindrops were subsequently analyzed by Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis (EDX), respectively. The raindrop number concentration ($m^{-2}h^{-1}$) tended to drastically decrease as the drop size goes up. Particle scavenging rate, $R_{sca.}$ (%), based on the actual measurement values were 38.7, 69.5, and 80.8% for the particles with 0.3-0.5, 0.5-1.0, and $1.0-2.0{\mu}m$ diameter, respectively. S, Ca, Si, and Al ranked relatively high concentration in raindrops, especially small ones. Most of the element showed a continuous decrease in concentration with increasing raindrop diameter. The source profile by factor analysis for the components of residual particles indicated that the rainfall plays a valuable role in scavenging natural as well as artificial particles from the dirty atmosphere.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.179-188
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• 2000

Trace elements in air samples artificially loaded on filters with urban dust and the bulk material of urban dust as an environmental sample were determined non-destructively using instrumental neutron activation analysis. Standard reference material (Urban Dust, SRM 1648) of the National Institute of Standard and Technology was used for the analytical quality control. The relative error for 37 elements was less than 15% and the standard deviation was less than 10%. 29 elements in the urban dust and 21 elements in the loaded filter sample were determined respectively. To evaluate the proficiency and reliability of the measurement, data intercomparison was performed and 39 analytical laboratories participated in the analysis using different analytical methods; neutron activation analysis, particle induced X-ray emission analysis, X-ray fluorescence analysis and atomic absorption spectrometry. Z-scores were calculated using the standard deviation of the laboratorie's mean as target standard deviation, and a good result was obtained that the values fall between -1 and +1 except some elements.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.115-125
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• 2014

In this study, particle composition data for $PM_{10}$ samples were collected every 3 days at Seoul, Korea from August 2006 to November 2007, and were analyzed to provide source identification and apportionment. A total of 164 samples were collected and 21 species (15 inorganic species, 4 ionic species, OC, and EC) were analyzed by particle-induced x-ray emission, ion chromatography, and thermal optical transmittance methods. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) was used to develop source profiles and to estimate their mass contributions. The PMF modeling identified nine sources and the average mass was apportioned to secondary nitrate (9.3%), motor vehicle (16.6%), road salt (5.8%), industry (4.9%), airborne soil (17.2 %), aged sea salt (6.2%), field burning (6.0%), secondary sulfate (16.2%), and road dust (17.7%), respectively. The nonparametric regression (NPR) analysis was used to help identify local source in the vicinity of the sampling area. These results suggest the possible strategy to maintain and manage the ambient air quality of Seoul.