Olympus has introduced a portable device that uses x-ray fluorescence (XRF) for chemical analysis and determining the purity of precious metals, including those used in dentistry.
Analysis of dental gold using traditional gold purchase acids may not work for dental alloys because they contain nonconventional alloying elements, according to Olympus. XRF offers a quick, accurate, and nondestructive alternative.
The Olympus GoldXpert is a crossover XRF analyzer, offering benchtop analyzer performance and sensitivity with the mobility and convenience of a battery-powered portable analyzer, the company noted. It has an integrated PC and only weighs 22 lb. It features an internally lit chamber to enable sample viewing during tests and an articulating sample holder.
In the dental area, there are presently more than 1,000 different alloys and precious metal alloys such as gold-reduced, high-gold, silver-based, and palladium-based alloys, according to Olympus. The GoldXpert can be configured specifically for measuring precious metals in dental alloys and provides on-the-spot analysis of gold, silver, platinum, and platinum group metals and impurities, the company noted.
