Multielemental Analysis of Radioactive Testing Sites via Proton Induced X-ray Emission Spectroscopy

Extremely fine particles (PM2.5) are found to penetrate deep into the lungs from a collection of environmental factors including air and soil. Harmful soil pollutants have collateral effects on water sources, wildlife and an array of environmental factors. Soil samples collected at the National Lead Facility site (inactive) in Albany NY and from the Naval Supply Depot AEC Warehouse in Scotia NY were analyzed for evidence for ground pollution. Soil samples were collected and curated for vacuum conditions in the particle accelerator at the Union College Ion Beam Analysis Laboratory. A 2.2 MeV proton beam generated from a Tandem electrostatic Pelletron accelerator impacts the target samples. X-ray intensity versus energy spectra was produced using an Amptek silicon drift detector. Proton-induced x-ray emission (PIXE) techniques were used to analyze the energy spectra and we determined a range of elements present in the aerosol samples*. The elemental composition and concentrations of these elements were determined using GUPIX.