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New X-ray Fluorescence Laboratory Outfitted

Tim Burns, graduate student in Earth and Environmental Sciences,
with new X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy instrument.

Earth and Environmental Science Professor Keith Putirka, along with colleagues from Fresno State (Florence Cassel-Sharmasarkar, Parameswar Hari, John Suen and Jarrad Wagner), and Cal State Stanislaus (Horacio G. Ferriz, and Mario Giaramita), were awarded a $303,297 grant by the National Science Foundation to develop an X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy laboratory.

X-ray fluorescence (XRF) is one of the most important and accurate of analytical techniques and allows for the analysis of a wide range of inorganic (and some suitably prepared organic) materials.

Putirka and his students use XRF techniques to understand how volcanoes work. In particular, chemical analyses of volcanic rocks are used to determine the depths and temperatures at which melting and crystallization occur, and about how melt is transported to the surface during or prior to a volcanic eruption. Currently, Putirka's students are investigating Tertiary-age volcanic activity in the Sonora Pass region of California, and recent volcanic activity at Hawaii and the Snake River Plain, Idaho.

The new lab will also support Wagner's research in forensics, Suen and Cassel-Sharmasarkar's work in the environmental and agricultural sciences and Hari's work in solid-state physics.

Putirka is also collaborating with Cal State Stanislaus professors in various projects in the fields of igneous and metamorphic petrology. The new laboratory will play an important role in various projects related to the Earth and Environmental Sciences, and various other scientific disciplines.

The XRF instrument (a state-of-the-art Philips ­ now PANalytical ­ 4 kW MagiX Pro) has the capability of analyzing elements from a large fraction of the periodic table, including every element from O to U. With several specialty crystals and a high-power tube, the instrument offers particularly high-quality resolution for a wide array of transition elements.

The instrument also comes with several very useful features. XRF analyses are normally run under vacuum, but the new instrument can also be run under a Helium partial pressure, which means that loose powders and liquids can be analyzed. In addition, the instrument has "fast-scan" capabilities, which allow very rapid semi-quantitative analyses of materials (in two to three minutes), with no sample preparation required. This latter feature is particularly important as it provides a non-destructive technique for chemical analyses - which can critical for samples with intrinsic value, such as gem stones and archeological artifacts.

Those interested in the XRF can contact Putrika at 8-4524 for a demonstration of its capabilities, or may bring samples of interest for analysis.

Back to University Journal, 5/03 Issue