Impact of Personal Computers and New Instrumentation on Environmental Applications of X-ray Fluorescence⁺

X-ray spectrometry is a powerful quantitative tool with many applications to analysis of environmentally related samples. Until recently, computer programs used for X-ray data analysis and treatment required mainframe or expensive minicomputers. Microcomputer systems now supplied with the instrumentation or generally available in the laboratory are equipped with the necessary memory and speed to permit execution of large programs for matrix corrections or those known as fundamental parameter programs. These computers can serve equally well as the data acquisition and instrumental control system. Examples of results obtained using such systems are presented.