Methods are considered for optimizing a conventional Bragg-Brentano X-ray powder diffractometer for the identification of crystalline phases in airborne particulates deposited on membrane filters. The instrumental parameters investigated include detector stepping increment and scan range, KO filtration, and the incident beam divergence slit width. Sample-related factors such as substrate material (cellulose ester, polycarbonate and polytetrafluoroethylene), off-axis displacement of the sample and X-ray induced specimen degradation were also studied. Scan times for sample deposits of several hundred pg cm-' are in the vicinity of 24 h with an 800 W tube. These times may be reduced substantially by one or more of the following modifications:rotating anode or synchrotron radiation source, energy-dispersive diffractometry, and Bragg-Brentano diffractometry with a position-sensitive gas detector.Received