Elemental Analysis of Rainwater by Pixe Technique

Abstract

Analysis of trace and toxic metals in untreated rainwater has been carried out using nondestructive proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE) in combination with preconcentration technique. The pre-concentration technique used for this purpose was carried out by evaporation of the rainwater samples at 50 • C under atmospheric pressure. Untreated rainwater samples were collected from 10 different locations across Baghdad city, Iraq. The mean concentration values of the elements (Al, Ca, Co, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Zn, Br, Rb and Sr) in rainwater samples were determined simultaneously at the parts per billion (ppb) levels. The rainwater samples and certified reference materials (CRMs) were irradiated with 2.0 MeV proton beam from Van de Graaff accelerator. The accuracy of the results was proved by using certified reference materials (GSP-2). The results were compared with the published data, Iraqi standards (IRQ), European standards (EU), and World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for drinking water quality. The purpose of this work was to obtain the total elemental compositions of rainwater in Iraq.