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Solution Absorptiometry with Beta Excited Sources by Means of Balanced Filters
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 06 March 2019
Abstract
The use of beta excited x-ray sources in solution absorptiometry has been reported upon by this laboratory. These sources produce characteristic K x-ray lines superimposed upon a bremsstrahlung continuum. The work previously reported made use of the entire beta excited spectrum. The resulting plots of In (Io/I) versus concentration of solute were not straight lines, (I0 is the intensity of the x-rays after passing through the solvent, and I is the intensity after passing through both the solvent and solute), but curved downward, as is characteristic of polychromatic sources due to preferential absorption of the low energy photons. These sources have a bremsstrahlung end-point equal to the beta energy E-max. This continuum energy usually is relatively high, resulting in a high mean x-ray energy for the polychromatic beam. This is not a desirable condition. Ideal sources for absorptiometry would be monochromatic in nature with an overall energy range covering the values for the elements. The use of a monochromatic source has two advantages for solution absorptiometry. First, the sensitivity is much greater since the K peak is of lower energy than the bremsstrahlung continuum. Secondly, the plot of In (Io/I) versus solute concentration is a straight line since a fixed value of the mass absorption coefficient can be assigned to this fixed energy, thus simplifying calibration. To use only the monochromatic K energy from these beta excited sources, we have applied the method of balanced filters. These monochromatic K x-rays, with the remainder of the continuum filtered out, have been employed in solution absorptiometry. The resulting plots of In (Io/I) versus solute concentration are straight lines with very good sensitivity. Using this technique, a very wide range of monochromatic energies are available for use in solution absorptiometry.
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