Soybean sorting based on protein content using X-ray fluorescence spectrometry.

The purpose of this research was to evaluate performance of an energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (XRF) sensor to classify soybean based on protein content. The hypothesis was that sulfur signals and other XRF spectral features can be used as proxies to infer soybean protein content. Sample preparation and equipment settings to optimize detection of S and other specific emission lines were tested for this application.