The HD Mobile is a portable, monochromatic, energy dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer. It is manufactured by X-Ray Optical Systems (XOS), of East Greenbush NY (USA). The HD Mobile uses High Definition XRF (HDXRF) that comprises Double Curved Crystal (DCC) optics to enhance measurement intensities, and it has been used to assess metal/metalloid contaminants in food, medicines and personal care products, in field-based public health studies. However, it has also proven valuable to the New York State Department of Health’s trace element’s laboratory, where unknown samples are submitted for rapid analysis for public health emergencies. The HD Mobile was designed for the analysis of samples with different matrices. In our studies, the “plastic mode” is used, and has been evaluated for accuracy and precision using a variety of certified reference materials: IAEA-413 Algae, NRC-CNRC TORT-2 Lobster Hepatopancreas, NIST SRM 1571 Orchard Leaves, IRMM BCR-627 Tuna Fish, NIST SRM-2976 Mussel Tissue, NRC DORM-2 Dogfish Muscle and IRMM ERM-CE464 Tuna Fish. Limits of detection were calculated based on typical XRF practices as well as the IUPAC-recommended protocol. Validation results will be presented for a final production model that has also been used to test herbal medicines, ethnic spices and cosmetic products, along with supplements and other samples submitted for public health investigations. CRM IAEA-413 Algae proved to be a useful quality control material to monitor XRF instrument performance. The ability to screen unknown products rapidly provides a real-time assessment of contamination from Pb, As, Hg and Cd, in addition to other elements, before moving on to analyses by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The XRF screening data are highly valuable in this respect and avoid gross contamination of highly sensitive ICP-MS instrumentation.

Role of portable energy dispersive XRF instrumentation in state public health laboratories

251st National Meeting (2016)

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