Free Webinar: Determining Heavy Metal Contamination in Wastewater Using Portable XRF

Heavy metals testing is an important part of environmental monitoring that can benefit from portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) analysis. However, pXRF presents some challenges: it is commonly used to analyze solid materials and the limit of detection (LOD) is only ~1–2 parts per million (ppm)—unlike destructive methods like atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) or inductively coupled plasma (ICP) that can measure parts per billion (ppb) levels.

To overcome these challenges, a new pXRF method has been developed using a resin capsule. The resin capsule contains ion-exchange resin with a strong exchange capacity that can adsorb heavy metals in wastewater samples. The concentration is amplified hundreds to thousands of times, making it easily detectable by a pXRF analyzer.

In this webinar, we will discuss case studies using this new pXRF method in Taiwan. Learn how it can be used to:

• Determine pollution hotspots in widespread irrigation net systems
• Trace pollution sources in industrial parks
• Establish the elemental fingerprints of different factories in an industrial park to pinpoint the source of a pollutant

Presenter:

Dr. Tsun Kuo Chang, Emeritus Professor, Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, National Taiwan University Dr. Chang has held many leadership roles during his academic career at National Taiwan University, including Department Head, Associate Dean, Principal Investigator, Advisory Committee Member of the Environmental Protection Administration, and Council Member for the Board of Soil and Groundwater Remediation Funds. His research interests include water pollution control, soil remediation, and geographic information systems (GIS) in natural resources management.