Environmental professionals are expected to perform their work with greater speed, efficiency, and accuracy today more than ever. The tools used by environmental professionals need to provide real time, near laboratory grade information when it comes to screening level and confirmatory sampling for metals contaminants. One of the leading technologies available for metals analysis in soils is field portable X-ray Fluoroscopes otherwise known as handheld or field portable XRF analyzers. XRFs provide the working professional the ability to field screen soil samples for a wide variety of metals contaminants including the eight RCRA metals, the 19 priority pollutants, and many more. Additionally, the instruments can provide excellent correlation to laboratory data when used in accordance with USEPA Method 6200 for measuring metals contaminants in soils.
Advances in handheld and field portable XRF analyzers include one significant developmental change. The advent of non radioactive source based handheld XRFs has truly revolutionized the ease of use and overall safety of field portable XRF analyzers. By removing a radioactive source from the instruments and relying on battery generated x-ray energy using miniature x-ray tube technology, the leading manufacturers, Innov-X and Thermo Niton have revolutionized the handheld XRF market.
The benefits to having an instrument that does not rely on a radioactive source isotope to generate the energy necessary to cause elemental fluorescence are obvious. Radioactive materials require special attention when it comes to health and safety, shipping and handling, training, regulatory compliance, etc. However, just because the newer non-source based instruments do not carry a radioactive source within them, they still do emit x-ray energy and should be handled and used in accordance with manufacturers recommendations and within your local and state agency’s regulations.
In general the Innov-X XRFs and the Thermo Niton XRFs perform similarly. They each have the capacity to be used in the field as a screening tool, or to perform higher level of soil analysis by complying with the USEPA Method 6200. The analyzer provides the environmental professional a tool to perform field analysis or field screening in a much broader scope while obtaining data in real time. This will greatly reduce expensive laboratory costs and turn around time for laboratory analysis. However, the instrument will not replace laboratory analysis as a whole, as it is still critical to confirm the data provided by the field instrument with a percentage of samples taken and analyzed by the lab. These confirmatory samples are used to verify field performance as described in Method 6200.
Additionally, Innov-X has developed a lead paint survey instrument that is also non source based and is accepted as an industry leader in lead paint survey and analysis. Both manufacturers have tools and instruments designed to help a wide variety of professionals detect metals in various applications. Soil analysis and lead paint analysis are just two of the many exciting applications where XRF technology is used.
Pine Environmental Services, Inc. is the leading provider of both Innov-X and Thermo Niton handheld XRF analyzers for purchase or rental purposes. We offer the technical support for both instruments and can provide helpful tips and suggestions for optimal performance and correlation with your laboratory data. Our rentals come with the standards necessary to provide QA/QC for the instruments and we have the accessories to make your XRF experience the best possible. For more information on the applications of XRF and some general theory and explanation of the instruments please click here.
For more information regarding the Innov-X line of instruments please click here. Or contact your Pine representative for more information.
For more information regarding Thermo Niton line of instruments please click here. Or contact your Pine representative for more information.
Pine Environmental Services, Inc.