Elemental composition of soil samples collected from Uttarakhand state using X-ray fluorescence technique

The monitoring of trace and toxic elements in soil samples is crucial for environmental and human health, agricultural production, and compliance with regulations. 35 soil samples were collected from different districts of Uttarakhand to assess levels of trace and toxic elements. EDXRF is an effective technique for monitoring these elements in soil due to its non-destructive nature, accuracy, versatility, fast analysis time, and cost-effectiveness. 0.8 gram each of freeze dried and fine sieved (<63 µm) soil sample was homogeneously mixed with 0.2 g cellulose powder (Sigma Aldrich). The homogenized mixture was then compressed under a hydraulic pressure of 25 tones for 3 minutes to make pellets. One filter based (W) and four different secondary targets (Ge, Zr, Ti, Si) EDXRF (Xene metrix's Genius IF) methods were optimized to excite the elements in the soil sample. The secondary targets were chosen to reduce relevant background intensities at specific line energies. The concentrations of 22 elements are reported using this technique. Calibration was done using a filter membrane for individual elements and a matrix-matched certified reference material (IAEA-433)