Determination of Kα,ß excitation factors in thin target for selected elements from Y to Te at 59.54 keV excitation energy.

The paper presents the first measurements of the Kα and Kß excitation factors for some selected elements from Y to Te. To determine the Kα and Kß excitation factors, the experimental values of K shell X-ray production cross sections and total absorption photoelectric cross sections were used. The measurements were performed using a Si(Li) detector coupled with 2048 multichannel analyzer and an Am-241 annular radioisotope source which is emitted 59.54 keV γ-photons. It is observed that the Kα excitation factors are 5-6 times larger than the Kß excitation factors. The measured excitation factors were compared only with theoretical calculated ones since there are no other experimental reports for the present elements in the literature. The present experimental values of Kα and Kß excitation factors are in satisfactory agreement with the theoretical results.

Studies on effective atomic numbers, electron densities from mass attenuation coefficients near the K edge in some samarium compounds.

The effective atomic numbers and electron densities of some samarium compounds were determined using the experimental total mass attenuation coefficient values near the K edge in the X-ray energy range from 36.847 up to 57.142 keV. The measurements, in the region from 36.847 to 57.142 keV, were done in a transmission geometry utilizing the Kα2, Kα1, Kß1 and Kß2 X-rays from different secondary source targets excited by the 59.54 keV gamma-photons from an Am-241 annular source. This paper presents the first measurement of the effective atomic numbers and electron densities for some samarium compounds near the K edge. The results of the study showed that the measured values were in good agreement with the theoretically calculated ones.

Determination of L X-ray fluorescence parameters for Ho, Lu, W, Hg and Bi.

In this work, L X-ray fluorescence cross sections, L sub-shell fluorescence yields and level widths and radiative vacancy transfer probabilities of L sub-shells to Mi, Ni and Oi sub-shells were measured for the elements Ho, Lu, W, Hg and Bi. Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) technique was used to measure L X-ray photons. To obtain related parameters, we used 59.54 keV gamma photons of (241)Am radioactive point source. Emitted L X-ray photons from targets were collected by means of a Si(Li) detector with resolution of 180 eV at 5.9 keV. The present results are generally in a good agreement with theoretical calculations and the other results obtained in the literature, within their range considering experimental uncertainty.

L-shell polarization and alignment of heavy elements induced by 59.54keV photons.

The polarization (%) of L-shell fluorescent X-rays (Lα, Lß and Ll) of Lu, Hf, Ta, W, Os, Pt, Au, Hg, Tl, Pb, Bi, Th and U excited by 59.54keV photons has been measured. These polarization degrees were then used to determine the alignment parameters A(2.) The Ll X-rays were found to be strongly polarized, whereas Lα and Lß X-rays showed less polarization. In this regard, the Lα, Lß and Ll groups show anisotropic spatial distributions. The results for polarization (%) as well as alignment parameters were compared with the ones available in literature.

Determination of trace element levels in human blood serum from patients with type II diabetes using WDXRF technique: a comparative study.

The present study investigated the trace element contents in the blood sera of type II diabetic patients with and without complication as compared to non-diabetic healthy controls. The elements Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Se, Mo, Cd, Hg and Pb were determined by wavelength dispersive x-ray fluorescence spectrometry. Blood serum levels of some trace elements in patients with type II diabetes mellitus showed significant deviations from healthy controls. Mean Ca, Cu and Se (p< 0.05) concentrations (%) in both diabetic patients with and without complication were significantly lower than those in healthy controls. When compared with non-diabetic control group, the Mg concentrations of patients without complication were decreasing while Mg levels of patients with at least one complication were increasing (p< 0.05). Si levels were significantly higher both in diabetic patients with complication and without complication than healthy controls (p< 0.05). K and Hg levels of diabetic patients with at least one complication have significantly deviated from both healthy controls and patients without complication (p< 0.05). There were no significant differences between control group and diabetic patients concerning height, age, weight and body mass index (p> 0.05).