Rainwater analysis by Synchrotron Radiation-Total reflection X-ray Fluorescence

LOPEZ M.L.; CEPPI S.; M. L. ASAR; BÜRGESSER R.; AVILA E. E.

SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA PART B-ATOMIC SPECTROSCOPY

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2015

0584-8547

Total reflection X-ray fluorescence analysis excitedwith synchrotron radiation was used to quantify the elementalconcentration of rainwater in Córdoba, Argentina. Standard solutions with gallium as internal standard wereprepared for the calibration curves. Rainwater samples of 5 μl were added to an acrylic reflector, allowed to dry,and analyzed for 200 s measuring time. The elemental concentrations of As, Ca, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K,Mn, Ni, Pb, S, Sr, V,and Zn were determined. The electrical conductivity, pH, and elemental concentrations were compared to datapreviously reported for the soluble fraction of rainwater at different sites. A factor analysis was performed inorder to determine the sources that contributed to the elemental concentration in rainwater. Anthropogenicsources were identified as traffic pollution, vehicular emissions, and metallurgical factories. The quality of rainwaterwas analyzed by comparing the concentrations of all the elements in rainwater samples with the WHOguideline values for drinking water. The results show the need to control the atmospheric emissions in orderto preserve the quality of rainwater. SR-TXRF analysis of chemical composition of rainwater in Córdoba representsthe very first contribution in the region to the knowledge of the concentration of trace metals in the solublefraction of rainwater. These data are scarce, especially in the Southern Hemisphere.