Determination of potassium content in potassium hydrogen phthalate used for fireworks and firecrackers based on Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry (EDXRF)

Methods used for the determination of potassium content in potassium hydrogen phthalate are mostly based on traditional chemical method, which is lengthy and cumbersome. If inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry or atomic absorption spectrometry are used to determine the potassium with high content, the sample solution must be highly diluted, and it must produce errors in measurement and calling into question the reliability of the data. The method mentioned in this paper is about the determination of potassium content in potassium hydrogen phthalate used for fireworks and firecrackers based on energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry by controlling matrix effects between elements. Using sample solution of potassium hydrogen phthalate in specific concentrates, the potassium content can be determined by the specific calibration curve established with an intensity calibration. This method can provide high accuracy and good precision in a short time with a simple process by efficiently controlling the matrix effects. It can fully meet the requirements for the determination of potassium in potassium hydrogen phthalate used for different kinds of fireworks and firecrackers around the world, and it has good generalization and practicability. The average recovery of the method can be 96.49%similar to 99.63%, allowing for a difference of 0.5%.