The X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) allows determining the chemical elements present in a substance in a quantitative manner. The practical instrument ElementCheck Mobile uses this very technology for industrial applications.
X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy is based on a well-established physical principle: The atoms to be analyzed in a sample are excited by X-rays. Electrons change locations on the atomic shells and therefore also their energy levels. These differences in energy are emitted as characteristic X-rays. Analyzing the emitted energy spectrum allows to determine exactly which and how much of a chemical element is contained in the sample.
