Application of energy-dispersive x-ray fluorescence to trace metal analysis of natural waters

Energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence is a recent development of X-ray spectrometry, which permits improved rapid multi-element analysis. To apply the technique to analysis of dissolved trace metals in natural waters, the metals are precipitated with a non-specific chelating agent, ammonium-I-pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate, and collected by membrane filtration. The equipment required, costs, and advantages and limitations of the method are discussed, and results obtained by applying the method to several samples of natural waters are given.