IXRF Optimization for Harmful Element Detection in Iranian Dust

Abstract

Detection of hazardous and radioactive (HR) elements in dust is very important for environment and human health. About 70 percent of Iran’s climate is arid and semi-arid, and one of the environmental challenges that it faces includes approaching dust storms from the southern and the western countries that neighbour Iran. Therefore, to solve this problem, it seems necessary to make a portable device to detect the HR elements of dust to eliminate social anxiety. In the present study, an isotopic X-ray fluorescence (IXRF) device was optimized to identify HR elements in dust, which arrive as environmental pollutants from neighbouring countries situated to the west and the south of Iran. Simulation results have indicated that the elements could be recognized by an IXRF device after the combination of ²⁴¹Am (26.4 and 59.6 keV) and ⁵⁷Co (122 keV) as the source. In this device, a scintillation detector was used for the X-ray spectroscopy of elements. If the CsI(TI) detector that shielded with 1 mm copper, aluminum and tungsten, then the IXRF device with 1.64 mci ²⁴¹Am and ⁵⁷Co mixed source is able to measure the HR elements with low of detection (LOD) about 10 ppm. Therefore, the optimized IXRF device can be introduced to detect the HR elements in dust.