This is a small tweak to the code, but when trying to evaluate whether a non-zero value in a standard represents a contamination or an actual interference, one can utilize the Calculate WDS Interferences button in the Standard Assignments dialog as seen here:
The program will then calculate "nominal" interferences for the current (on-peak) emission based on an assumed gaussian peak width. If the suspected interfering element does not show up, then the non-zero value in the standard could actually be a trace contamination.
This is one reason why we should generally acquire all the elements that we are analyzing for in all our standards (at least the first time). Because if we find a non-zero value in a standard that should be zero, and the Calculate WDS Interferences output shows that it is a potential interference (based on the nominal peak overlaps), then we are already measuring the interfered *and* the interfering element, and we can assign the interference correction to improve our accuracy.
This contamination vs. interference issue also comes up sometimes in the MAN fit curves, where we might see higher intensity outliers in our standard measurements, and the question is: are these high outliers a contamination or a spectral interference? See this old post:
https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=307.msg1773#msg1773It's nice to be able to look at the MAN background curves to evaluate how pure one's standards are...
Anyway, the point is that now the program will output the actual emission line position with the possible interferences. I was doing some software training at PNNL a couple of weeks ago and one of the new users there, Nathan Canfield, suggested it and it's a good idea I think.
Especially for the nominal interferences calculated for the high or low off-peak positions as seen here in the Elementas/Cations dialog:
Also, we added it to the nominal calculation for the Misc Options | Interferences menu dialog in the Standard application as seen here:
Where the program will check if any elements in a standard are likely to interfere with other elements in that standard.