Characterization of copper speciation on waste biomass of phytofiltration systems using energy dispersive Inelastic X-ray scattering.

Background: Remediation of heavy metal-contaminated water using phytoremediation with accumulator aquatic plants is a promising low-cost emerging technology that adapts very well to the surrounding ecosystem. For the system to work efficiently, metal-saturated plants must be replaced, producing a potentially toxic amount of biomass that is usually stored dry to reduce its volume. The speciation of the high metal content in this biomass is crucial to define its final destination.

First characterization of chemical environments using energy dispersive inelastic x-ray scattering induced by an x-ray tube.

Energy Dispersive Inelastic X-ray Scattering (EDIXS) is a reliable technique for the discrimination and characterization of local chemical environments. By means of this methodology, the speciation of samples has been attained in a variety of samples and experimental conditions, such as total reflection, grazing incidence, and confocal setups. Until now, due to the requirement of a monochromatic and intense exciting beam, this tool had been applied using exclusively synchrotron radiation sources.

An IAEA multi-technique X-ray spectrometry endstation at Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste: benchmarking results and interdisciplinary applications.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) jointly with the Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste (EST) operates a multipurpose X-ray spectrometry endstation at the X-ray Fluorescence beamline (10.1L). The facility has been available to external users since the beginning of 2015 through the peer-review process of EST.

Depth profiling nano-analysis of chemical environments using resonant Raman spectroscopy at grazing incidence conditions.

Both X-ray total reflection and X-ray Raman scattering techniques were combined to discriminate chemical environments in depth-profiling studies using an energy dispersive system. This allowed, for the first time, to resolve oxidation state on surface nanolayers with a low-resolution system. Samples of pure Cu and Fe oxidized in tap water and salty water, respectively, were studied in the Brazilian synchrotron facility using monochromatic radiation and an EDS setup.