Selenium determination using ethylation and on-line trapping/detection by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

An on-line system for the continuous ethylation of selenium (IV) in combination with trapping and detection of the produced diethylselenide in the coated AAS graphite furnace was developed. Due to the slow kinetics of the ethylation the volume of the reaction coil and the reaction time had to be increased to 5.5 mL and 80 s, respectively. The sensitivity of the method was comparable with that of the hydride generation in the same system and the relative standard deviation was 6–10%. The determination of Se(IV) in real samples after the most widely used digestion with nitric acid could not be accomplished, because of the drastic signal depression caused by this acid.