Bruker S2 PICOFOX  now available with gas purge option

Bruker’s total reflection X-ray spectrometer for trace element analysis S2 PICOFOX is now available with a gas purge option. As this highly sensitive instrument, that has limits of detection down to 0.1 ppb, works in ambient air an argon (Ar) peak will always be visible in spectra. Ar is contained in air with a concentration of around 0.93 % vol. and therefore easily detectable. Normally this is no problem as the peak can be safely ignored. This is not the case if the measurement task includes analysis of silver (Ag) or palladium (Pd). Both elements show a strong overlap with the Ar peak, as the spectra in the image gallery show. This affects the accurate quantification of Ag and Pd.

Bruker’s solution is a nitrogen gas purge system that removes Ar form the instrument’s beam path. It is available for the S2 PICOFOX version with molybdenum tube and sample changer. Using this option it is now possible to measure Ag and Pd with high sensitivity.

Typical applications are

• Detection of Pd in pharmaceutical compounds
• Pd and Ag analysis in used catalyzers as part of the recycling process
• Ag and Pd in wastewater
• Characterization of Ag containing nanoparticles
• Monitoring of antimicrobial Ag agents in clinical chemistry.

If you would like to learn more about the gas purge system, please download the according SpecSheet.