Tungsten coil atomic emission spectrometry

A tungsten coil atomic emission spectrometer is described and evaluated. The system employs a single tungsten coil as a combined atomizer and excitation source for the determination of metals by atomic emission spectrometry. The tungsten coil is extracted from a 150 W, 15 V commercial slide projector light bulb. A simple, laboratory constructed, computer-controlled power supply provides a constant current to the coil. A high-resolution Czerny–Turner monochromator with a charge coupled device detector completes the system. Simultaneous, multi-element analyses are possible within a 4 nm spectral window. Eleven test elements are used to characterize the system: Al (396.1 nm), Co (353.0 nm), Cr (427.1 nm), Dy (404.6 nm), Ga (403.3 nm), K (404.4 nm), Mn (403.1 nm), Pb (405.8 nm), Rb (420.2 nm), Sc (404.8 nm), and Yb (398.7 nm). Tungsten coil atomic emission detection limits are reported for these elements for the first time: 0.02 ng Al, 0.7 ng Co, 0.003 ng Cr, 0.01 ng Dy, 0.7 ng Ga, 0.3 ng K, 0.04 ng Mn, 10 ng Pb, 0.07 ng Rb, 1 ng Sc, and 0.003 ng Yb. The precision for the new technique is better than 13% relative standard deviation for all metals at concentrations two orders of magnitude above the detection limit. Aluminum, Cr, Mn, and K are determined in a standard reference material (trace elements in water) after simple dilution with water, and found values varied from certified values by up to 26%. The average tungsten coil lifetime was found to be 265 heating cycles. The elimination of the external radiation source needed for atomic absorption measurements results in an emission system that could be quite portable.     

Direct determination of sodium,potassium, chromium and vanadium in biodiesel fuel by tungsten coil atomic emission spectrometry

High levels of sodium and potassium can be present in biodiesel fuel and contribute to corrosion, reduced performance and shorter engine lifetime. On the other hand, trace amounts of chromium and vanadium can increase the emission of pollutants during biodiesel combustion. Sample viscosity, immiscibility with aqueous solutions and high carbon content can compromise biodiesel analyzes. In this work, tungsten filaments extracted from microscope light bulbs are used to successively decompose biodiesel's organic matrix, and atomize and excite the analytes to determine sodium, potassium, chromium and vanadium by tungsten coil atomic emission spectrometry (WCAES). No sample preparation other than simple dilution in methanol or ethanol is required. Direct analysis of 10-μL sample aliquots using heating cycles with less than 150 s results in limits of detection (LOD) as low as 20, 70, 70 and 90 μg kg⁻¹ for Na, K, Cr and V, respectively. The procedure's accuracy is checked by determining Na and K in a biodiesel reference sample and carrying out spike experiments for Cr and V. No statistically significant differences were observed between reference and determined values for all analytes at a 95% confidence level. The procedure was applied to three different biodiesel samples and concentrations between 6.08 and 95.6 mg kg⁻¹ for Na and K, and between 0.22 and 0.43 mg kg⁻¹ for V were obtained. The procedure is simple, fast and environmentally friendly. Small volumes of reagents, samples and gases are used and no residues are generated. Powers of detection are comparable to other traditional methods.     

Direct and simultaneous determination of Cr and Fe in crude oil using high-resolution continuum source graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

A simple, fast and sensitive direct method for the simultaneous determination of Cr and Fe in crude oil samples is proposed using high-resolution continuum source graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. No sample preparation is used except for a 10-minute homogenization in an ultrasonic bath. Aliquots of 0.1–4 mg of the samples are weighed onto solid sampling platforms and analyzed directly using aqueous standards for calibration. The simultaneous determination was possible because there is a secondary Fe line at 358.120 nm in the vicinity of the most sensitive Cr line at 357.868 nm, and both absorption lines were within the wavelength interval covered by the linear charge-coupled device array detector. It has also been of advantage that the sensitivity ratio between the two analytical lines corresponded roughly to the concentration ratio of the two elements found in crude oil, and that both analytes have very similar volatility, so that no compromises had to be made regarding pyrolysis and atomization temperatures. Two oil reference materials have been analyzed and the results were in agreement with the certified or reported values. Characteristic masses of 3.6 pg and 0.5 ng were obtained for Cr and Fe, respectively. The limits of detection (3σ, n = 10) were 1 µg kg^− 1 for Cr and 0.6 mg kg^− 1 for Fe, and the precision, expressed as the relative standard deviation, ranged from 4 to 20%, which is often acceptable for a rapid direct analytical procedure. Five crude oils samples were analyzed.     

Developing electrodeposition techniques for preconcentration of ultra-traces of Ni, Cr and Pb prior to arc-atomic emission spectrometry determination

Electrodeposition is known to be proper for separation and preconcentration of extremely low concentrations of analytes from the bulk sample which is instrumentally very simple. In the present research, a combination of electrodeposition with arc atomic emission spectrometry (ED-AAES) method has been developed in order to improve the analytical performance of this spectrometry technique. The results show that sensitivity and detection limits by using ED-AAES were improved 1000–2000 folds over those of normal arc atomic emission spectrometry in determination of the selected elements. The detection limits for measurement of Ni, Cr and Pb were 2.56, 3.05 and 2.11 µg L^{− 1} for monodeposition and 3.31, 3.72 and 3.25 µg L^{− 1} for simultaneously deposition, respectively. The precision of determination was in the range of 2–4% RSD. Typical calibration graphs for these elements were linear up to 100 µg L^{− 1}, depending on the element and matrix.Application of this technique was also tested on determination of the studied elements in an electroplating plant's waste water. The accuracy of technique was verified by comparing the results of the waste water analysis with those of electrothermal atomic absorption spectroscopy as a reference standard method.The obtained results show that the combined technique (ED-AAES) has been progressed substantially toward the ultimate goal of direct interference-free determination of trace analysis in complex samples by AAES.     

Evaluation of vermicompost as bioadsorbent substrate of Pb,Ni, V and Cr for waste waters remediation using Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence

The use of vermicompost as adsorbent substrate for removing Pb, Ni, V and Cr from waste waters is proposed. In this work, after a preliminary physical and chemical characterization of the vermicompost, the optimal parameters for the heavy metal adsorption were obtained. A synthetic multielemental solution of Pb, Cr and Ni and a solution of NH₄VO₃ for vanadium were evaluated. The optimized parameters were pH, vermicompost mass to volume ratio, agitation time and particle size of the adsorbent. A batch system was employed for the assays. The elements were determined in the supernatant solution after filtration of the substrate. An optimal pH of 4.5 was found for ion removal. The agitation time slightly influences the adsorption of Pb and Cr, but it has a high influence on the Ni and V adsorption. The highest adsorption and removal of the metals was observed for a vermicompost mass of 2 g per 500 mL using a particle size between 75 to 841 µm for Pb, Cr and Ni, and 841 till 1192 µm for V. The mean removal percentage for each element is around 95% for Pb. Ni and Cr in the multielemental synthetic sample, demonstrating a high removal capacity of the substrate. For V it was found a removal efficiency of 50%.     

A new atomization cell for trace metal determinations by tungsten coil atomic spectrometry

A new metallic atomization cell is used for trace metal determinations by tungsten coil atomic absorption spectrometry and tungsten coil atomic emission spectrometry. Different protecting gas mixtures are evaluated to improve atomic emission signals. Ar, N₂, CO₂ and He are used as solvents, and H₂ and C₂H₂ as solutes. A H₂/Ar mixture provided the best results. Parameters such as protecting gas flow rate and atomization current are also optimized. The optimal conditions are used to determine the figures of merit for both methods and the results are compared with values found in the literature. The new cell provides a better control of the radiation reaching the detector and a small, more isothermal environment around the atomizer. A more concentrated atomic cloud and a smaller background signal result in lower limits of detection using both methods. Cu (324.7 nm), Cd (228.8 nm) and Sn (286.3 nm) determined by tungsten coil atomic absorption spectrometry presented limits of detection as low as 0.6, 0.1, and 2.2 μg L⁻¹, respectively. For Cr (425.4 nm), Eu (459.4 nm) and Sr (460.7 nm) determined by tungsten coil atomic emission spectrometry, limits of detection of 4.5, 2.5, and 0.1 μg L⁻¹ were calculated. The method is used to determine Cu, Cd, Cr and Sr in a water standard reference material. Results for Cu, Cd and Cr presented no significant difference from reported values in a 95% confidence level. For Sr, a 113% recovery was obtained.     

ICP–AES法测定铬镍不锈钢中锰、铬、镍、硅、磷、铜、钼的含量

建立电感耦合等离子体原子发射光谱(ICP–AES)法测定铬镍不锈钢中锰、铬、镍、硅、磷、铜、钼7种元素含量的方法。试样用盐酸与硝酸混合酸溶液溶解,采用溶解国家标准样品的方法制备校准曲线溶液,确定了元素最佳分析谱线。各元素的含量在其测试范围内与原子发射强度呈良好的线性关系,线性相关系数不小于0.999,7种元素的检出限在0.000 3%~0.003 0%之间。该方法应用于铬镍不锈钢标准样品的测定,测定值与认定值相符,测定值的相对标准偏差在0.12%~1.15%之间(n=8)。应用于铬镍不锈钢样品测定时,加标回收率在90%~110%之间。该方法操作简便、迅速,可满足日常铬镍不锈钢中多元素含量的检测需要。     

Evaluation of the use of multiple lines for determination of metals in water by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry with axial viewing

Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometers (ICP OES) allow fast simultaneous measurements of several spectral lines for multiple elements. The combination of signal intensities of two or more emission lines for each element may bring such advantages as improvement of the precision, the minimization of systematic errors caused by spectral interferences and matrix effects. In this work, signal intensities for several spectral lines were combined for the determination of Al, Cd, Co, Cr, Mn, Pb, and Zn in water. Afterwards, parameters for evaluation of the calibration model were calculated to select the combination of emission lines leading to the best accuracy (lowest values of PRESS–Predicted error sum of squares and RMSEP–Root means square error of prediction). Limits of detection (LOD) obtained using multiple lines were 7.1, 0.5, 4.4, 0.042, 3.3, 28 and 6.7 µg L^− 1 (n = 10) for Al, Cd, Co, Cr, Mn, Pb and Zn, respectively, in the presence of concomitants. On the other hand, the LOD established for the most intense emission line were 16, 0.7, 8.4, 0.074, 23, 26 and 9.6 µg L^− 1 (n = 10) for these same elements in the presence of concomitants. The accuracy of the developed procedure was demonstrated using water certified reference material. The use of multiple lines improved the sensitivity making feasible the determination of these analytes according to the target values required for the current environmental legislation for water samples and it was also demonstrated that measurements in multiple lines can also be employed as a tool to verify the accuracy of an analytical procedure in ICP OES.     

Determination of Manganese in Sludge,Alloy, and Soil by Tungsten Coil Atomic Emission Spectrometry

A tungsten coil atomic emission spectrometer (WCAES) was developed and evaluated for the determination of manganese in industrial sludge, alloy, and soil. The system employed a coil extracted from a 150 watts/15 volts commercial slide projector light bulb and a simple power supply that provided a constant current to the coil. The analytical signals were resolved and detected using a Czerny-Turner spectrometer and a charge coupled device. Three manganese emission lines were detected simultaneously. Using different emission lines, limits of detection for manganese varied from 0.54 to 0.65 milligram per liter, and relative standard deviations for manganese at 5 milligrams per liter varied from 5.9 to 8.5 percent (n = 10). Summation of the Mn signals improved the detection limit to 0.17 milligram per liter and decreased the relative standard deviation to 1.7 percent. Spectral interferences were observed in the presence of Al, Ca, K, and Na. The accuracy was determined using two certified reference materials, and the results obtained by WCAES were in agreement with those obtained by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry at the 95 percent confidence level.     

Spectroscopic and analytical characteristics of an inductively coupled argon plasma combined with hydride generation with or without simultaneous introduction of the sample aerosol for optical emission spectrometry

A radially viewed inductively coupled argon plasma was used for optical emission spectrometry of volatile species formed by reaction with NaBH₄ (hydride generation). The volatile hydrides were either introduced into the plasma alone or at the same time as a sample aerosol generated by pneumatic nebulization with a commercially available Concomitant Metals Analyzer. The effects of the forward power, the presence of pre-reducing agents [(NH₂)₂SC, KI, KBr and hot HCl], the occurrence of easily ionized elements (Ca, K, Mg and Na) in the analyte solutions on the excitation temperature (as measured via Ar atomic lines) and the electron number density were investigated for both of the sample introduction modes applied. The detection limits and the signal-to-background intensity ratios for As, Bi, Sb, Se and Sn lines were also evalutated and were observed to deteriorate with increasing power. When simultaneous hydride generation and pneumatic nebulization was employed under optimized experimental conditions, detection limits of 3.5, 2.9, 4.3, 1.5 and 2.1 μg L⁻¹ for As, Bi, Sb, Se and Sn, respectively, were obtained, and the intensities of the analytical lines for elements that do not form volatile hydrides were found to be 40% (Cd), 30% (Ni), 20% (Co, Cr, Fe, Mn and Zn) and 10% (Cu, Mg, V) greater than those obtained when only pneumatic nebulization was used.     

Chemical characterization of selected metals by X-ray fluorescence method in particulate matter collected in the area of Krakow, Poland

This study presents the results of year long (2007–2008) particulate matter collecting campaigns. The three particle size fractions of particulate matter were collected in Krakow, Poland. Fine fraction consists of particles of a diameter below 2.5 µm, medium is between 2.5 and 8 µm and coarse fraction contains particles above 8 µm. Elemental concentrations were evaluated for each sample. Following elements were measured by EDXRF method: K, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Br, and Pb. During each sampling campaign meteorological parameters such as temperature, wind speed, wind direction, humidity were taken from the same place. The highest values of mass particulate matter showed results from January 2008 and April 2008. These were about 14 µg/m³ for fine fraction, 8 µg/m³ for medium and 16 µg/m³ for coarse fraction. The lowest values were observed in May 2007, they were 4, 6, 6 µg/m³, respectively. During the winter season the wind speed was low and particulate matter remained in the air in high concentrations. In May 2007 the speed of wind was higher, reaching 2–3 m/s. PM was blown away from the city from the direction of N–W. Measured concentrations of elements were low, they were below permissible values specified by EU. The coarse fraction concentrations of Ca, Mn, and Fe were higher and characterized by the same trend. These samples were collected when the wind speed was low and its direction was from south-east. As concentrations of Cr, Cu, and Zn were low, these elements did not come from the south-east direction of Krakow. Concentration of Br correlates to the concentration of Pb. It suggests that they came from the same source (vehicles fuels burning).     

Innovative separation and preconcentration technique of coagulating homogenous dispersive micro solid phase extraction exploiting graphene oxide nanosheets

A uniquely novel, fast, and facile technique is introduced for the first time in which a scant amount of graphene oxide (GO), without modification, has been utilized in dispersive mode of solid phase extraction (SPE) for an efficient yet simple separation. The proposed method of coagulating homogenous dispersive micro solid phase extraction (CHD-µSPE) is based on coagulation of homogeneous GO solution with the aid of polyetheneimine (PEI). CHD-µSPE use full adsorption capacity of GO because in this method was used GO solution obtained from synthesis process without drying step and stacking nanosheets. In optimized condition, 30 µL GO solution (7 mg mL⁻¹), obtained in synthesis process, was injected into 1.5 mL the sample solution followed by immediate injection of 53 µL PEI solution (1 mg mL⁻¹). After inserting PEI, GO sheets aggregate and can be readily separated by centrifugation. PEI not only cause aggregation of GO, but also form three-dimensional network of GO with easy handling in following separation steps. Lead, cadmium, and chromium were selected as model analytes and the effecting parameters including the amount of GO, concentration of PEI, sample pH, extraction time, and type of desorption solvent were investigated and optimized. The results indicate that the proposed CHD-µSPE method can be successfully applied GO in dispersive mode of SPE without effecting on good capability adsorption of GO. The novel method was applied in determination of lead, cadmium, and chromium in water, human saliva, and urine samples by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. The detection limits are as low as 0.035, 0.005, and 0.012 µg L⁻¹ for Pb, Cd, and Cr respectively. The intra-day precisions (RSDs) were lower than 3.8%. CHD-µSPE method showed a good linear ranges of 0.24–15.6, 0.015–0.95 and 0.039–2.33 µg L⁻¹ for Pb, Cd and Cr respectively. Method performance was investigated by determination of mentioned metal ions in river water, human urine and saliva sample with good recoveries in range of 94.2–103.0%. The accuracy of the method was underpinned by correct analysis of a standard reference material (SRM: 2668 level I, Urine).     

Determination of Cr,Fe, Co,Ni, Cu,Zn, As and Pb in liquid chemical waste by energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence

A method for simultaneous determination of Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As e Pb in liquid chemical waste using Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) technique was evaluated. A small sample amount (200 μL) was dried on a 6.35 μm thickness Mylar film at 60 °C and the analyses were carried out using an EDXRF spectrometer operated with an X-ray Mo tube (Zr filter) at 30 kV/20 mA. The acquisition time was 300 s and the Ga element was utilized as internal standard at 25 mg/L for quantitative analysis. The method trueness was assessed by spiking and the detection limit for those elements ranged from 0.39 to 1.7 mg/L. This method is notable because it assists the choice of the more appropriated waste treatment procedure, in which inter elemental interference is a matter of importance. In addition, this inexpensive method allows a non-destructive determination of the elements from ₁₉K to ₉₂U simultaneously.     

Micro-column preconcentration/separation using thiacalix[4]arene tetracarboxylate derivative modified mesoporous TiO2 as packing materials on-line coupled to inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry for the determination of trace heavy metals in environmental water samples

A novel adsorbent of thiacalix[4]arene tetracarboxylate derivative modified mesoporous TiO₂ was prepared and was used as a packing material for flow injection (FI) micro-column (20 mm × 4.0 mm i.d.) separation/preconcentration on-line coupled to inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) simultaneous determination of trace metals (V, Cu, Pb, Cr) in environmental water samples. The experimental conditions for modified mesoporous TiO₂ packed micro-column separation/preconcentration of the target metals were optimized and the interference of commonly coexisting ions was examined. The adsorption capacities of thiacalix[4]arene tetracarboxylate derivative modified mesoporous TiO₂ for V, Cu, Pb and Cr were found to be 14.0, 11.7, 17.7 and 14.5 mg g^− 1, respectively. The detection limits of the method were 0.09, 0.23, 0.50 and 0.15 µg L^− 1 for V, Cu, Pb and Cr, respectively, with a preconcentration factor of 20. The precision of this method were 1.7% (V), 3.9% (Cu), 4.6% (Pb) and 2.9% (Cr) (n = 7, C = 5 µg L^− 1), respectively. The developed method was applied to the determination of trace heavy metals in real samples and the recoveries for spiked samples were found to be in the range of 88.7-107.1%. For validation, a certified reference material of GSBZ50009-88 environmental water sample was analyzed and the determined values were in good agreement with the certified values.     

电感耦合等离子体原子发射光谱法测定70钛铁中锰、磷、铜、铬、镍、钼、钒和铝

提出了用电感耦合等离子体原子发射光谱法(ICP-AES)测定70钛铁中共存的8种杂质元素(锰、磷、铜、铬、镍、钼、钒、铝)。试验表明:试样宜用浓盐酸3mL及浓硝酸3mL溶解,且在制作工作曲线时应加入相同量的酸溶解基体金属(即所加入的纯铁粉和纯钛粉),所选用的8种元素的分析谱线均为检出限低、且光谱干扰小或易于扣除者。制作工作曲线时采用基体匹配法,从而消除基体干扰,方法中8种元素的检出限(3s/b)在0.002～0.02mg·mL-1范围内。按所提出方法分析了一个70钛铁标样(YSBC15602),共测定了11次,上述8种元素的测定结果与已知值相符,测定值的相对标准偏差(n=11)在0.74%～4.11%范围内。     

Determination of Ga, Ge, As, Se and Sb in fly ash samples by ultrasonic slurry sampling electrothermal vaporization inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Ultrasonic slurry sampling electrothermal vaporization inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (USS-ETV-ICP-MS) has been applied to determine Ga, Ge, As, Se and Sb in fly ash samples. The influences of instrument operating conditions and slurry preparation on the ion signals were reported. Pd and ascorbic acid were used as the mixed modifiers to enhance the ion signals. This method has been applied to determine Ga, Ge, As, Se and Sb in NIST SRM 1633a and 1633b coal fly ash reference materials and a fly ash sample collected locally. Since the sensitivities of the elements studied in slurry solution and aqueous solution were different slightly, analyte addition technique was used for the determination of Ga, Ge, As, Se and Sb in these samples. The As and Se analysis results of the reference materials agreed with the certified values. The results for which no certified value was available were also found to be in good agreement between the ETV-ICP-MS results and the reference values. The reference value was obtained by digesting the samples and analyzing the digested sample solutions by pneumatic nebulization Dynamic Reaction Cell™ (DRC) ICP-MS. The method detection limits estimated from analyte addition curves were about 0.23, 0.13, 0.17, 0.25 and 0.11 μg g⁻¹ for Ga, Ge, As, Se and Sb, respectively, in original fly ash samples.     

A novel total reflection X-ray fluorescence procedure for the direct determination of trace elements in petrochemical products

A total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) procedure was developed for the determination of metal traces in petrochemical end products or intermediates for surfactant synthesis. The method combines a fast and straightforward sample preparation, i.e. deposition on the sample holder and evaporation of the sample matrix, with an efficient quantification method based on internal standardization (organic gallium standard). The method developed showed detection limits below 0.05 μg g^-1 and in most cases below 0.005 μg g^-1. Fifteen elements (Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Rh, Sn, Sr, V and Zn) were determined in matrices such as paraffins, n-olefins, linear alkylbenzenes, long-chain alkyl alcohols and esters: typical metal contents were below 1 μg g^-1. The results were compared with the reference method ASTM D5708 (test method B) based on inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy: advantages and drawbacks of the two procedures were critically evaluated. The TXRF method developed showed comparable precision and absence of bias with respect to the reference method. A comparison of the performances of the two methods is presented.     

Determination of trace elements by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry of biomass and fuel oil reference materials using milligram sample sizes

Most of the analytical techniques used to quantify elements associated with solid samples suffer from high detection limits and cannot be used for trace elements in biomass samples, particularly when only 20 mg are available for analysis. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) can achieve detection limits of parts-per-trillion with liquid sample introduction by solution nebulisation. This technique was therefore tested with two standard biomass reference materials: oriental tobacco leaves and cabbage leaves. Two preparations successfully used on coal standards were used to digest the solid samples: a total digestion method (wet ashing digestion) and a partial leaching (microwave extraction). The concentrations of up to seventeen elements (As, Ba, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ga, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Sn, V and Zn) were measured after the two preparations. The accuracy and sensitivity of the measurements improved when the dilution factor decreased from 5000 to 1000 and to 500. Since the proportion of mineral matter in biomass samples is small (5%), the microwave digestion extracted elements that are generally not completely extracted from coal samples (e.g. Sb). However, some trace element concentrations were below the limit of quantification after microwave extraction, even with a reduced dilution factor (As, Se and Mo) and could not be quantified. A fuel oil was also digested. The trace element concentrations were very low (between 28 and 0.1 microgram g(-1)) but acceptable results were obtained by applying a dilution factor of 100. Only six elements in the fuel oil (As, Ba, Co, Ni, Se and V) had certified or indicated values. Factors affecting the accuracy and sensitivity of the analyses are discussed. The reproducibility of analysis of the tobacco leaf standard was checked over a period of nine months by both digestion methods. The wet ashing method gave acceptable reproducibility for Ba, Cd, Co, Cu, Ga, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, V and Zn but poor precision for Cr, Se and Sn and showed evidence of residual chloride interference for As. The microwave extraction gave good reproducibility for As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mo, Ni and Zn but poor precision for Se and low recoveries for Ga, Mn, Sn and V. In spite of the small quantities of material analysed, it proved possible to determine the trace elements at levels down to 0.1 microgram g(-1) in the reference materials.     

Determination of the total carbon in soft drinks by tungsten coil electrothermal vaporization inductively coupled plasma spectrometry

A method is developed for the direct determination of carbon in soft drinks by electrothermal vaporization inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. A tungsten coil is used as the electrothermal vaporizer, and is extracted from a commercially produced 150 W, 15 V microscope bulb. The standard additions method is employed to correct any matrix effects from the samples. Carbon emission is monitored at 193.091 nm. Carbon content determined for the samples was in the range of 13 to 60 g in one 8 fl oz serving, and these values agreed with the label values in the range 93 to 137% (except for one sample, Orange Fanta, which provided a 200% recovery. This was likely due to non-carbohydrate carbon-containing species in that sample). The precision of the technique was always better than 20% relative standard deviation (n = 10). The detection limits for carbon range from 0.4 to 3 mg L^{− 1}, and absolute detection limits range from 12 ng to 90 ng for a 30 μL aliquot of sample on the coil. This method could be an alternative approach for determining the carbon content of nonvolatile compounds, and complement HPLC–ICP-AES determination of those same species.     

Determination of impurities in nuclear fuel element components by neutron activation analysis

Neutron activation analysis methods for the determination of impurities in zirconium cladding material and uranium oxide are described. Detection limits for the elements Al, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Hf, Fe, Mn, Ni, W and U in zirconium are below that required by the ASTM B 352-79 standard. The method has been tested on the NIST SRM 360a Zircaloy-2 from which the elements Na, Mg, Al, Ca, V, Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Eu and U have been detected. The values for Cr, Fe, Ni and Cu are compared with the certified values. A method for the pre-irradiation separation of the elements Mg, Na, Al, K, Sc, Ca, V, Mn, Cr, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, Rb, Zr, Cd, Cs, REE and Hf from uranium has been developed. A neutron activation analysis method for the determination of those elements in uranium is described. The method is tested by the analysis of the IAEA reference sample SR-54/64. The elements Al, Mn, V, Cu, Cr, Co, Ni and Fe have been detected and the results compared with the certified values.