Determination of cadmium in indium phosphide by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry and ion-selective electrode potentiometry

 Two independent methods for the determination of cadmium in cadmium-doped indium phosphide have been developed. Electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) utilized both platform atomization and a chemical modifier composed of magnesium nitrate and orthophosphoric acid. As the matrix mass was found to influence the cadmium sensitivity, matrix matched calibration standards were necessary. The detection limit (3s_B) is 0.20 μg/g for a 100 mg sample. The electrochemical method employed a solid-state cadmium sulfide-silver sulfide electrode as potentiometric sensor. An excess of indium (III) influenced the electrode response. A preliminary chelation-extraction of indium with acetylacetone at pH 5.0 in acetate buffer overcame the interference. The detection limit of the ISE-potentiometric method is 10 μg/g for a 200 mg sample. Two indium phosphide single crystals grown from melts doped with cadmium sulfide or cadmium telluride were analyzed for their cadmium content. Received: 27 August 1996/Revised: 27 January 1997/Accepted: 30 January 1997     

Determination of traces of molybdenum in foods by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

Low levels of molybdenum in different food samples were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry with electrothermal atomization after destruction of organic matter using four different methods, involving dry ashing at 600°C, wet digestion with heating with nitric/sulphuric and nitric/sulphuric/perchloric acid mixtures or direct extraction with dilute hydrochloric acid. In all cases the working conditions, reproducibility, precision and accuracy were investigated. The dry ashing method was generally the optimum destruction method.     

Determination of tellurium in indium antimonide semiconductor material by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

A method for the determination of the dopant concentration of tellurium in dissolved indium antimonide semiconductor material by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) was developed. Efforts were made to investigate the optimal conditions of the furnace heating program and the effect of palladium modifier on the variation of tellurium and the background absorbance. According to the results obtained, the presence of palladium chemical modifier in the analysis of indium antimonide allowed the successful retention of tellurium in the graphite tube, and the optimum mass of palladium modifier was found to be dependent on the sample matrix concentration. The absorbance profile of tellurium and the background level were significantly improved when a pyrolysis temperature of 1100 degrees C and an atomization temperature of 2200 degrees C were employed in the optimized heating program. With the use of this method, a detection limit of 0.8 microg g(-1) tellurium in indium antimonide could be achieved. The applicability of the proposed method was evaluated by comparison with two independent methods, i.e. slurry sampling-ETAAS and ICP-MS. From the good agreement between the results, it was demonstrated that the proposed method is suitable for the determination of typical dopant concentrations of tellurium in indium antimonide.     

Determination of traces of silver in human scalp hair slurries by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

A simple and rapid method for the determination of traces of silver in human hair by slurry sampling and electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry was optimized. Hair pulverization and the particle size reduction were achieved using a vibrational zirconia mill ball for 20 min. Palladium nitrate, magnesium nitrate and palladium-magnesium nitrate were investigated as chemical modifiers to thermally stabilize silver. Glycerol was used as wetting agent to stabilize the hair slurries. A limit of detection of 21.6 g kg^–1 was obtained for the use of palladium nitrate as best chemical modifier. The repeatibility of the overall procedure (slurry preparation and atomic absorption spectrometric determination) corresponding to eleven measurements was 14.3%. Matrix effect was significant and so, the standard addition method was used to determine silver in hair samples from healthy people. The levels found varied between 0.10 and 1.62 mg kg^–1.     

Determination of thallium in geological materials by extraction and electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

Thallium is determined in geological reference materials by acid digestion, extraction of thallium(III) from 0.5 M HBr solution into methyl isobutyl ketone and direct electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. The method yields results that agree with published values, has a detection limit of 0.04 μg Tl g^-1, and is relatively free of interferences.     

Determination of traces of lead and copper in foods by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry with metal atomizer

Summary A method is described for the determination of traces of lead and copper in foods by a microcomputer-processed atomic absorption spectrometry with a molybdenum micro-tube atomizer. Accurate results of lead and copper are obtained by atomization in the presence of thiourea. Thiourea contributes to a highly reproducible atomization profile and reduction of interferences from concomitant elements in foods. Solid samples are digested with nitric acid in the Uni-seal decomposition vessel, while liquid or water-soluble samples are directly atomized.

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Bestimmung von Blei- und Kupferspuren in Lebensmitteln durch elektrothermische AAS mit einem Metallzerstäuber

Zusammenfassung Ein Verfahren zur Bestimmung von Blei- und Kupferspuren in Lebensmitteln mittels mikrocomputer-gesteuerter AAS mit einem Zerstäuber aus Molybdän wurde beschrieben. Die Zerstäubung in Gegenwart von Thioharnstoff gibt genaue Resultate. Dieser führt zu einem gut reproduzierbaren Zerstäubungsprofil und setzt die Störung von Begleitelementen herab. Feste Proben werden mit Salpetersäure aufgeschlossen, flüssige oder wasserlösliche Proben werden unmittelbar eingesetzt.

     

Determination of total chromium traces in tannery effluents by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry, flame atomic absorption spectrometry and UV-visible spectrophotometric methods

Three different analytical methods comprising colorimetric method with 1,5-diphenyl-carbazide, electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ET AAS) and flame atomic absorption spectrometry were utilized in a study to determine traces of chromium (Cr) in synthetic tannery effluent from laboratory scale treatment process variations. All the results obtained using the three different methods showed good agreement and met the requirement of Brazilian regulation for total Cr for effluent discharges (<0.5 mg l(-1)). However, ET AAS has been the proposed method because it was faster, less laborious, needed smaller volume of sample and presented lower limit of quantification (LOQ=2.2 mug l(-1)).     

On-line flow injection solvent extraction for electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry: Determination of nickel in biological samples

A flow injection (FI) on-line solvent extraction system for electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) was developed with nickel as a model trace element. The nickel pyrrolidine-dithiocarbamate chelate was extracted on line into isobutyl methyl ketone, which was delivered into the FI system by a peristaltic pump equipped with poly(tetrafluoroethylene) tubing. The organic phase was separated from the aqueous phase by a novel gravity phase separator with a small conical cavity, and stored in a collector tube, from which 50 μl organic concentrate was introduced into the graphite tube by an air flow. ETAAS determination of the analyte was performed in parallel with the extraction process. An enrichment factor of 25 was obtained in comparison with 50 μl direct introduction while achieving a detection limit of 4 ng l⁻¹ (3σ), and a precision of 1.5% relative standard deviation for 1.0 μg l⁻¹ nickel (n = 11). The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of nickel in body fluids and other biological samples.     

Determination of traces of gallium and indium in ores by electrothermal-atomization atomic absorption spectrometry with matrix modifications

Methods were developed for the determination of gallium and indium in complex ores by electrothermal-atomization atomic absorption Spectrometry using matrix modifications. Nickel and nickel-ammonium sulfate as matrix modifier has enhanced the absorption signals for gallium and indium, respectively, eliminating the matrix interferences to allow their solutions in nitric acid to be used as calibration standards. No matrix separations are necessary. Results are quoted for a variety of black ore samples (Kuroko). The RSDs are 7.0% for gallium and 5.3% for indium at their 10 g/g levels, and the inverse sensitivities are 20 pg of gallium and 38 pg of indium for respective 1% absorption.     

Determination of iron in seawater by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry and atomic fluorescence spectrometry: A comparative study

Two methods available for direct determination of total Fe in seawater at low concentration level have been examined: electrothermal atomization atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) and electrothermal atomization laser excited atomic fluorescence spectrometry (ETA-LEAFS). In a first part, we have optimized experimental conditions of ETAAS (electrothermal program, matrix chemical modification) for the determination of Fe in seawater by minimizing the chemical interference effects and the magnitude of the simultaneous background absorption signal. By using the best experimental conditions, a detection limit of 80 ng L⁻¹ (20 μL, 3σ) for total Fe concentration was obtained by ETAAS. Using similar experimental conditions (electrothermal program, chemical modification), we have optimized experimental conditions for the determination of Fe by LEAFS. The selected experimental conditions for ETA-LEAFS: excitation wavelength (296.69 nm), noise attenuation and adequate background correction led to a detection limit (3σ) of 3 ng L⁻¹ (i.e. 54 pM) for total Fe concentration with the use a 20 μL seawater sample. For the two methods, concentration values obtained for the analysis of Fe in a NASS-5 (0.2 μg L⁻¹) seawater sample were in good agreement with the certified values.     

Simultaneous extraction and determination of traces of lead and arsenic in petrol by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

The lead and arsenic compounds are converted to water-soluble iodides by reaction with a solution of iodine in toluene extraction into dilute nitric acid before determination by graphite-furnace atomic absorption spectrometry against aqueous standards. The method is simple, rapid, accurate and reasonably precise.     

Determination of traces of chromium(vi) as a thiosemi-carbazide complex by solvent extraction and atomic absorption spectrometry

Extraction of chromium(VI) at pH 2—12 with thiosemicarbazide into methyl isobutyl ketone is described. The detection limit is 30 ng ml^-1, and the concentration which gives 1% absorbance is 60 ng ml^-1, when the organic phase is used directly.     

Determination of traces of copper in tap water,iron and steels by electrothermal zeeman atomic absorption spectrometry with a graphite cupped furnace

The effects of acid and iron concentration on the copper signal are investigated, and conditions are established where these variables are without effect, thus allowing copper to be determined in steel and iron samples without preliminary separation. A miniature inner cup provides greater sensitivity. Copper in tap water is determined after co-precipitation with lead sulfide.     

Determination of selenium in water by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

Summary The electrothermal atomization of selenium has been investigated for the accurate determination of selenium in water samples. Hydrogen seriously affects the atomization temperature of selenium in a molybdenum micro-tube atomizer. The atomization of selenium also suffers from serious interferences caused by salts and other elements. The extraction of selenium diethyldithiocarbamate complex serves to eliminate the interferences from the matrix. The addition of copper allows the suppression of interferences from elements extracted with selenium. The method permits the determination of selenium(IV) and selenium(VI) separately.This research was in part funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, Japan, under Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research, for which we express our appreciation.     

Determination of vanadium in urine by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

After wet ashing of the urine sample with nitric acid, vanadium is chelated with cupferron, extracted into 4-methylpentan-2-one and determined by atomic absorption spectrometry with a pyrolytically-coated graphite furnace atomizer. The sensitivity allows the precise determination of 1–500 μg V l^-1 in urine. The coefficient of variation for triplicate urine measurements is <8% for 10 μg V l^-1.     

Determination of aluminium in silicon by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

The sample is decomposed with hydrofluoric and nitric acids and the diluted solution is injected into the graphite furnace. For a 100-mg sample, the detection limit (3 σ) is 1.2 μg AI g^-1. The coefficient of variation is 3–13% for 9–7000 μg Al g^-1 in silicon.     

Direct measurement of iron in serum by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

A simple and rapid method is described for the determination of iron in serum by atomic absorption spectrometry with a graphite furnace atomiser. The serum is diluted 40 times with water, and injected into the graphite tube. Optimal conditions are established, and interferences from proteins and salts eliminated. Since the procedure requires no sample pretreatment such as protein precipitation or wet digestion, contamination and losses by co-precipitation are excluded. The method can determine any species of iron in serum.