Chemische Charakterisierung und Spurenanalytik
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Quantitative Analysis and 2D/3D Elemental Imaging of Cocoa Beans Using X‑ray Fluorescence Techniques
(2023)
As an important raw material for the confectionery industry, the cocoa bean (Theobroma cacao L.) has to meet certain legal requirements in terms of food safety and maximum contaminant levels in order to enter the cocoa market. Understanding the enrichment and distribution of essential minerals but also toxic metals is of utmost importance for improving the nutritional quality of this economically important raw food material. We present three X-ray fluorescence (XRF) techniques for elemental bio-imaging of intact cocoa beans and one additional XRF technique for quantitative analysis of cocoa pellets. The interrelation of all the methods presented gives a detailed picture of the content and 3D-resolved distribution of elements in complete cocoa beans for the first time.
To gain insight into the possible origin of the gold used in the production of tesserae containing gold leaf less than 0.5 μm thick placed between two layers of glass, we propose a non-destructive synchrotron radiation (SR) XRF protocol based on sequential analysis under optimised analytical conditions. Using this protocol, trace element analysis is achieved with detection limits of 1–6 mg/kg. As Pt and Au have adjacent fluorescence energies, we tested the most challenging situation, when Pt is present in very low concentrations in gold. Data obtained by double-dispersive XRF (D2XRF) and μXRF for fourth–ninth-century mosaics decorating nine Eastern and Western religious buildings show that the Eastern and Western tesserae are made from different alloys.
However, these alloys are identical to those used to make gold leaf for gilding, because plastic deformation requires the use of gold alloys with high ductility and malleability. Although trace element composition of gold used in the concerned period is only available for coins, by comparing the amounts of Pt contained in the tesserae and in the coins we show that Roman tesserae are made from Roman gold, as described in the documentary sources. We observe for the Byzantine period the use of a Byzantine gold and of gold supposedly from different stages of recycling, and we suggest the use of Umayyad and Abbasid gold for the production of Islamic tesserae.
X-ray fluorescence imaging is a well-established tool in materials characterization. In this work, we present the adaption of coded aperture imaging to full-field X-ray fluorescence imaging at the synchrotron. Coded aperture imaging has its origins in astrophysics, and has several advantages: Coded apertures are relatively easy to fabricate, achromatic, allow a high photon throughput, and high angular acceptance. Coded aperture imaging is a two-step-process, consisting of the measurement process and a reconstruction step. Different programs have been written, for the raytracing/forward projection and the reconstruction. Experiments with coded aperture in combination with a Color X-ray Camera and an energy-dispersive area detector, have been conducted at the BAMline. Measured samples were successfully reconstructed, and gave a 9.1-fold increase in count rate compared to a polycapillary optic.
n this study, two green synthesis routes were used for the synthesis of Ag/ZnO nanoparticles, using cassava starch as a simple and low-cost effective fuel and Aloe vera as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The Ag/ZnO nanoparticles were characterized and used for bacterial dis-
infection of lake water contaminated with Escherichia coli (E. coli). Characterization indicated the formation of a face-centered cubic structure of metallic silver nanoparticles with no insertion of Ag into the ZnO hexagonal wurtzite structure. Physicochemical and bacteriological analyses described in “Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater” were used to evaluate the efficiency of the treatment. In comparison to pure ZnO, the synthesized Ag/ZnO nanoparticles showed high efficiencies against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and general coliforms present in the lake
water. These pathogens were absent after treatment using Ag/ZnO nanoparticles. The results indicate that Ag/ZnO nanoparticles synthesized via green chemistry are a promising candidate for the treatment of wastewaters contaminated by bacteria, due to their facile preparation, low-cost synthesis,and disinfection efficiency.
The vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) is currently a potential candidate for stationary energy storage. A major challenge is the unintended vanadium transport through the separator, which results in a fade of capacity. To overcome this issue, it is necessary to understand the transport processes in the membrane on a more fundamental level. In this work, the vanadium species distribution in Nafion™ 117 after cyclization was investigated. Two membranes, one from a charged VRFB and another from a discharged VRFB, were analyzed using ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV/VIS) and X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy (XANES). Little difference between the two membranes was recognizable according to the UV/VIS results. In comparison, the XANES results showed that the membrane from the charged VRFB contains more V3+ than VO2+, whereas for the discharged case, more VO2+ is present in the membrane.
In this work, we describe the use of artificial neural networks for the quantification of X-ray fluorescence measurements. The training data were generated using Monte Carlo simulation, which avoided the use of adapted reference materials. The extension of the available data set by means of an ANN to generate additional data was demonstrated. Particular emphasis was put on the comparability of simulated and experimental data and how the influence of deviations can be reduced. The search for the optimal hyperparameter, manual and automatic, is also described. For the presented case, we were able to train a network with a mean absolute error of 0.1 weight percent for the synthetic data and 0.7 weight percent for a set of experimental data obtained with certified reference materials.
To better study the impact of nanoparticles on both in vitro and in vivo models, tissue distribution and cellular doses need to be described more closely. Here silver nanoparticles were visualized in alveolar macrophages by means of synchrotron radiation micro X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (SR-μXRF) with high spatial resolution of 3 × 3 μm2. For the spatial allocation of silver signals to cells and tissue structures, additional elemental labeling was carried out by staining with eosin, which binds to protein and can be detected as bromine signal with SR-μXRF. The method was compatible with immunostaining of macrophage antigens. We found that the silver distribution obtained with SR-μXRF was largely congruent with distribution maps from a subsequent laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) of the same tissue sites. The study shows a predominant, though not exclusive uptake of silver into alveolar macrophages in the rat lung, which can be modeled by a similar uptake in cultured alveolar macrophages. Advantages and limitations of the different strategies for measuring nanoparticle uptake at the single cell level are discussed.
Besides conventional scanning X-ray fluorescence imaging at synchrotron sources, full-field X-ray fluorescence (FF-XRF) imaging techniques that do not implicitly require spatial scanning of the sample have become available. FF-XRF has become achievable thanks to the development of a new type of energy dispersive CCD-based 2D detector, also referred to as a 'color X-ray camera (CXC)' or 'SLcam'. We report on different imaging schemes for biological samples using FF-XRF imaging: (a) 2D 'zoom' imaging with pinhole optics using the 'camera obscura' principle; (b) 2D 'fixed magnification' imaging using magnifying polycapillary optics; and (c) 3D-FF-XRF imaging using an X-ray sheet beam or computed tomography (CT). The different FF-XRF imaging modes are illustrated using the crustacean Daphnia magna, a model organism for investigating the effects of metals on organism/ecosystem health, and foraminifera, a class of amoeboid protist. Detailed analytical characterization of the set-up is performed through analyzing various reference materials in order to determine limits of detection (LODs) and sensitivities. Experiments were performed using the BAMline at the BESSY synchrotron (Berlin, Germany) and using the P06 Hard X-ray Microprobe at the PETRAIII synchrotron (Hamburg, Germany).
Bundling analytical capacities to understand phase formation in recycling of functional materials
(2019)
Transitioning from combustion engine-driven transportation to e-mobility demands a paradigm shift – from a system geared to maximize energy efficiency (i.e. fuel consumption) to a system that may be constrained by the availability of high technology (critical) metals required for electrical energy storage systems and drives. In the wake of these developments efforts in securing new resources of these metals from recycling of end-of-life products are increasing steadily.
Recycling of Li-Ion batteries has recently been evaluated. The results pinpoint to a critical need for understanding slag Formation and its dependence on metal components like Mn under extreme conditions. This will allow researchers to predict optimal Operation setting and to react quickly to changing market demands (which may be Li or Co at one point but may also shift to Ni or rare earth elements (REE)). The long-term goal is to control the formation of specific phases in slags allowing for a Maximum yield of elements of interest and optimal recovery in the separation processes that follows. The combination of data on the physical micro structure and local chemistry of the multi-Phase products during and after processing will help to understand and derive thermodynamic and kinetic data on its formation.
In this paper we are giving an overview on the analytical challenges and approaches to provide robust data on local element concentration and species (especially Mn which is a common component of next generation Li-ion batteries cathodes), spanning the dimensions from the nanometer scale to the bulk material. The complementary interactions of X-rays and electrons make them ideal probes to collect Interface and “in-depth” information. Before- and -after studies as well as in situ structural changes and Phase (trans)formation, changes in elemental and elemental species (e.g. oxidation state) distribution may be tracked by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence microscopy and X-ray Absorption spectroscopy. The application of such advanced analytical tools will not only provide essential clues during early lab-based experiments towards the development of new recycling technologies, but may also be deployed for on-line and in-line monitoring of industrial processes.
Synchrotron radiation X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, in conjunction with atomic absorption and Raman spectroscopy, was used to analyze a set of top brand tattoo inks to investigate the presence of toxic elements and hazardous substances. The Cr, Cu, and Pb contents were found to be above the maximum allowed levels established by the Council of Europe through the resolution ResAP(2008)1 on requirements and criteria for the safety of tattoos and permanent makeup. Raman analysis has revealed the presence of a set of prohibited substances mentioned in ResAP(2008)1, among which are the pigments Blue 15, Green 7, and Violet 23. Other pigments that were identified in white, black, red, and yellow inks are the Pigment White 6, Carbon Black, Pigment Red 8, and a diazo yellow, respectively. The present results show the importance of regulating tattoo ink composition.