EDXRF as an alternative method for multielement analysis of tropical soils and sediments

The quality assessment of tropical soils and sediments is still under discussion, with efforts being made on the part of governmental agencies to establish reference values. Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) is a potential analytical technique for quantifying diverse chemical elements in geological material without chemical treatment, primarily when it is performed at an appropriate metrological level. In this work, analytical curves were obtained by means of the analysis of geological reference materials (RMs), which allowed for the researchers to draw a comparison among the sources of analytical uncertainty. After having determined the quality assurance of the analytical procedure, the EDXRF method was applied to determine chemical elements in soils from the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. The regression coefficients of the analytical curves used to determine Al, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Si, Sr, Ti, and Zn were higher than 0.99. The quality of the analytical procedure was demonstrated at a 95% confidence level, in which the estimated analytical uncertainties agreed with those from the RM’s certificates of analysis. The analysis of diverse geological samples from Pernambuco indicated higher concentrations of Ni and Zn in sugarcane, with maximum values of 41 mg kg− 1 and 118 mg kg− 1, respectively, and agricultural areas (41 mg kg− 1 and 127 mg kg− 1, respectively). The trace element Sr was mainly enriched in urban soils with values of 400 mg kg− 1. According to the results, the EDXRF method was successfully implemented, providing some chemical tracers for the quality assessment of tropical soils and sediments.