The determination of elements in welding fume by X-ray spectrometry and UniQuant

Welding is a hazardous process with an associated risk of health effects related to the fume arising from the core metal, flux components and welding surface. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) is commonly used to determine elemental concentrations as part of occupational hygiene investigations using conventional calibrations. A method is proposed to determine elements in welding fume using XRF and a fundamental parameter software package known as UniQuant (R). This was found to remove the need for special dust standards being prepared as the calibration used was based on a series of standards supplied with UniQuant that would cover all sample types. A conventional calibration and UniQuant calibration were set up and elements found in welding fume were determined from tin to titanium. Samples obtained from the Health and Safety Laboratory Workplace Analysis Scheme for Proficiency (WASP) programme were also analysed by both methods for nickel, iron, manganese and chromium. For the normal calibration, average recovery results for the WASP samples were between 92 and 103% of the target value with relative standard deviations of 3-7%. For the UniQuant calibration, average recovery results for the WASP samples were between 97 and 112% of the target value with relative standard deviations of 3-10%. These results are well within analytical performance expectations for the type of welding fume matrix analysed. The method was applied to real welding fume samples collected from workplaces. Copyright (C) 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.