Rapid analysis of small glass fragments by atomic-absorption spectroscopy

A rapid method is described for the determination of magnesium, iron and manganese in small glass fragments (250-500 mug). The speed of the analytical procedure is made possible by the use of a convenient cold digestion stage allied to a discrete sampling method which permits the three elements of interest to be determined by flame atomic-absorption spectrophotometry.     

Indirect method for the determination of aluminium by atomic-absorption spectrometry using an air-acetylene flame

The enhancement of the atomic-absorption signals of iron, cobalt, nickel and chromium in a fuel-rich air-acetylene flame by small amounts of aluminium makes possible the indirect determination of aluminium in the concentration range 0.01-10 ppm. The optimization of working conditions and the occurrence of interferences are reported.     

Spectrophotometric determination of the pH scale in ethane-1,2-diol

A highly selective method is described for the determination of gallium at the ppm-level in manganese nodules and geological reference samples. After dissolution of the sample, gallium is adsorbed on Dowex 1 (chloride form) from hydrochloric acid solution containing titanium trichloride, which reduces iron(III) so that it is not adsorbed. After elution with dilute nitric acid and evaporation, gallium is determined by atomic-absorption spectrometry with an air-acetylene flame.     

Schwermetallbestimmung in zwei biologischen und zwei geologischen Standards mit Hilfe der Atom-Absorptions-Spektroskopie

Zusammenfassung Die Konzentrationen der Elemente Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb und Zn wurden im Internationalen Biologischen Standard (IBS) von Bowen, im NBS Standard Reference Materials 1571 (Orchard Leaves), in Kalkstein- und Tonschieferstandards mittels Atom-Absorptions-Spektroskopie untersucht. Die Pflanzenproben wurden mit Salpetersäure/Perchlorsäure und die Gesteins- bzw. Sedimentproben mit Königwasser (31 HCl/HNO₃) aufgeschlossen. Die Messungen müssen wegen der Matrixeffekte unter Einsatz des Deuterium-Untergrundkompensators (DK) durchgeführt werden. Messungen ohne DK zeigten fehlerhafte Konzentrationserhöhungen, insbesondere im Falle des Cadmiums und des Bleis. Die Verfälschung war um so größer, je kleiner der Metallgehalt in der Materie war. Die erzielten Ergebnisse der vier Standards (mit DK) zeigen eine befriedigende Übereinstimmung mit den angegebenen Gehalten.

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Determination of heavy metals in two biological and in two geological standard materials by atomic-absorption spectroscopy

Summary Concentrations of the elements Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn were investigated in the International Biological Standard (IBS) of Bowen, in the NBS Standard Reference Materials 1571 (Orchard Leaves), in Lime Stone and Clay Slate Standards by means of flame atomic-absorption spectroscopy. The elements were determined in plant samples after digestion in nitric and perchloric acids, and in geological materials (geological standards and river sediments) after digestion in a 31 mixture of hydrochloric and nitric acids. The influence on the absorbance of the matrix was tested. Considerable interferences were found in determinations of cadmium and lead, especially when the concentration of elements was very low. These interferences could be eliminated with the help of a Deuterium Background Corrector.

     

The determination of beryllium in geological and industrial materials by atomic-absorption spectrometry after cation-exchange separation

A method is described for the determination of beryllium in geological and industrial samples. After dissolution of the sample in mineral acids, beryllium is separated from the matrix elements by chloroform extraction of its acetylacetonate from a solution of pH 7 containing ascorbic acid and EDTA. Beryllium is separated from the organic extract and from co-extracted aluminium by means of a column of the strongly acidic cation-exchanger Dowex 50; beryllium is adsorbed from a medium consisting of 60 % (v/v) tetrahydrofuran, 30 % (v/v) chloroform and 10 % (v/v) methanol containing hydrochloric acid, aluminium is removed with 0.4 M oxalic acid and after elution with 6 M hydrochloric acid, beryllium is determined by atomic-absorption spectrometry with a nitrous oxide-acetylene flame. The method was used to determine p.p.m. and sub-p.p.m. quantities of beryllium in geochemical reference materials, U₃O₃ and yellow cake samples, and manganese nodules.     

Preconcentration of trace amounts of manganese from natural waters by means of a macroreticular poly(dithiocarbamate) resin

A chelating poly(dithiocarbamate) resin (PDTC) with macroreticular support is characterized as effective collector for traces of manganese from natural waters. Using small PDTC columns preconcentration of manganese can be achieved even at high flow-rates (5-6 ml/min) and sample volumes (1500 ml). Accordingly, PDTC resin is used for the preconcentration of manganese from water samples prior to its determination by flame atomic-absorption spectrometry. A series of ions abundant in natural waters do not interfere. The sensitivity and detection limit were 2.5 and 0.5 mug/l., respectively. The relative standard deviations of the results for a manganese concentration of 40-400 mug/l. are in the range 1.1-6.2%. In mineral and tap waters analysed, the manganese concentration range was between 2.9 and 30.8 mug/l.     

Determination of lead in drinking waters by hydride generation and atomic-absorption spectroscopy, and three other methods

Simultaneous presence of copper and nickel in potable waters interferes with the determination of lead at trace levels by the hydride-atomic-absorption spectrophotometric method. This interference is eliminated by co-precipitating lead with manganese dioxide from acidic solution. The precipitate is dissolved in 0.85% nitric acid and analysed by the automated hydride-atomic-absorption method. This method has been applied to 22 representative water samples and results compared with those obtained by using differential pulse anodic-stripping voltammetry, flame atomic-absorption and graphite-furnace atomic-absorption spectrophotometry. The precision of the three methods is reported and their accuracy checked by the analysis of reference standard water samples. The sensitivity of the three methods is of the order of 1 mug/l., compared to 100 mug/l. for flame atomic-absorption. The merits of each method are discussed.     

Indirect atomic absorption determination of aluminum by flow injection analysis

An indirect atomic-absorption spectrometric method for the determination of aluminum carried out by flow injection analysis is proposed. This method is based on the enhancement of the atomic signal of iron, using a fuel-rich air-acetylene flame, by small amounts of aluminum, which allows the indirect determination of aluminum in the concentration range 0.2–1.8 μg ml⁻¹ (r.s.d. 1.2%). The sampling frequency is 150 hr⁻¹ for an injected volume of 54 μl. An extensive study of interferences has been compared, with considerable advantage, over the conventional method.     

Determination of gold, indium, tellurium and thallium in the same sample digest of geological materials by atomic-absorption spectroscopy and two-step solvent extraction

A rock, soil, or stream-sediment sample is decomposed with hydrofluoric acid, aqua regia, and hydrobromic acid-bromine solution. Gold, thallium, indium and tellurium are separated and concentrated from the sample digest by a two-step MIBK extraction at two concentrations of hydrobromic add. Gold and thallium are first extracted from 0.1M hydrobromic acid medium, then indium and tellurium are extracted from 3M hydrobromic acid in the presence of ascorbic acid to eliminate iron interference. The elements are then determined by flame atomic-absorption spectrophotometry. The two-step solvent extraction can also be used in conjunction with electrothermal atomic-absorption methods to lower the detection limits for all four metals in geological materials.     

Direct flame atomic-absorption determination of minor elements in argillites

The possibility of direct atomic-absorption determination of minor elements in argillites without preliminary concentration and separation is studied. The possibility is examined of producing an analytical flame zone in which free analyte atoms can be produced by use of chemical additives, such as potassium thiocyanate for molybdenum, and potassium thiocyanate plus dodecylamine hydrochloride for vanadium.     

Determination of tin, bismuth, antimony, indium, gallium and arsenic by solvent extraction cum atomic absorption spectrophotometry

A rapid atomic absorption spectrometric method for the determination of tin, antimony, bismuth, indium, gallium and arsenic in geological materials, steels and alloys is described. The samples are fused with sodium peroxide (for geological samples such as cassiterite and sulphides) or decomposed with sulphuric/hydrochloric acid mixture or by alkaline fusion (for silicates or bauxites) or by acid treatment (for steels, alloys and certain geological samples). The elements of interest are extracted as their iodides into methyl isobutyl ketone, stripped into aqueous solution by treatment with benzene, concentrated nitric acid and water, and determined by flame atomic-absorption spectrometry. Detailed study is made on stripping of the metals from organic phase as there no simple and rapid stripping procedures available. The method allows the determination of Sn, Sb, Bi and In down to 2 ppm and Ga down to 5 ppm. The relative standard deviations range up to 10% with an average of 2.5%. Apparent recoveries of these metals range from 90 to 110 with an average of 95% for Sb and 99% for others.     

Mutual interferences of elements in the atomic-absorption analysis of human hairs

Mutual interferences of elements in the atomic-absorption analysis of solutions of human hairs were estimated using mathematical procedures of experimental design. The effects of Na, Cl, Ca, Fe, Zn, and Pb, whose concentrations in hairs vary within a wide concentration range, on the results of the determination of Cu, Cd, K, Fe, Zn, and Pb were examined. An interpretation of the obtained models was given. Two methods for taking into account mutual interferences were proposed and approved: (1) the use of multielement reference samples whose chemical compositions are prescribed based on the proposed models and (2) the representation of calibration curves in the form of multidimensional polynomials     

Determination of traces of Mo in soils and geological materials by solvent extraction of the molybdenum-thiocyanate complex and atomic absorption

Comprehensive studies of the extraction of the molybdenum-thiocyanate complex with methyl isobutyl ketone have resulted in an improved method for the determination of traces of molybdenum in soils and geological materials by atomic-absorption spectroscopy. The method is applicable in the range 1-500 ppm Mo, with 1-g samples, giving relative standard deviations not exceeding about 8% at a level of 1 ppm. The limit of detection is 0.1 ppm. There are few interferences, and large quantities of iron are without effect.     

Determination of lanthanides and yttrium in rocks and minerals by atomic-absorption and flame-emission spectrometry

The sensitivity of atomic-absorption and flame-emission determination of lanthanides and yttrium is improved by a factor of 2-5 when an absolute ethanol solution of the perchlorate of the metal (instead of an aqueous solution) is aspirated into a nitrous oxide-acetylene flame. Based on this, a method has been developed for accurate determination of small amounts of certain rare earths and yttrium. Lanthanum (1%) is used as a spectroscopic buffer to eliminate interferences and to enhance the sensitivities in certain determinations. Where the use of lanthanum is not practicable because of interferences (such as in the determination of praseodymium and samarium by flame emission), sodium (2000 ppm) is used as the spectroscopic buffer. Studies with synthetic solutions indicate that yttrium and most lanthanides can be directly determined in minerals without any chemical separation. With rock samples it is necessary to preconcentrate the traces of the rare earths by fluoride or oxalate precipitation with calcium as the carrier, followed by removal of calcium by hydroxide precipitation using mg amounts of iron as the carrier. The method developed has been applied to the determination of certain lanthanides and yttrium in a variety of rocks, including the Canadian reference rocks, syenites SY-1, SY-2 and SY-3, and some minerals such as britholite, cenosite, chevkinite, allanite, apatite and sphene.     

Determination of traces of calcium, magnesium, iron and nickel in aluminium salts by atomic-absorption spectrophotometry with a microwave-excited source and hollow-cathode lamps

The determination of trace amounts of calcium and magnesium in solutions containing large concentrations of aluminium salts may be accomplished by co-precipitating their hydroxides on iron(III) hydroxide, dissolving the precipitate, and extracting the 8-hydroxyquinolates of calcium and magnesium into methyl isobutyl ketone at about pH 11. The extract may be sprayed into the airpropane flame of a simple unmodulated spectrophotometer and atomic-absorption measurements for calcium and magnesium made at 4227 and 2852 A respectively. The limits of determination correspond to 10 and 1 ppm of calcium and magnesium in solid alumina. Iron and nickel may be co-precipitated on hydrated manganese(IV) oxide and their 8-hydroxyquinolates extracted at pH 4.5. Measurements of atomic absorption for these elements at 2483 and 2320 A respectively yield limits of determination corresponding to 10 ppm in alumina. Hollow-cathode lamps may be used for calcium, magnesium and nickel, but a simple microwave-excited discharge tube gives much better sensitivity than a hollow-cathode lamp for iron.     

Determination of total tin in geological materials by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

A graphite-furnace atomic-absorption spectrometric method is described for the determination of total tin in geological materials. Samples are decomposed by fusion with lithium metaborate and the melt is dissolved in diluted (1 + 9) nitric acid. Spectral and non-spectral interferences are minimized by a combination of platform volatilization, “normal” heating rate, addition of ammonia as chemical modifier, use of integrated absorbance values and Zeeman background correction. Results are reported for six reference materials showing good accuracy and a precision of 12% at the 3 μg g^?1 level. The detection limit for tin in the original materials in 0.7 μg g^?1.     

Atomic-absorption spectrometric determination of cobalt,nickel, and copper in geological materials with matrix masking and chelation-extraction

An atomic-absorption spectrometric method is reported for the determination of cobalt, nickel, and copper in a variety of geological materials including iron- and manganese-rich, and calcareous samples. The sample is decomposed with HP-HNO₃ and the residue is dissolved in hydrochloric acid. Ammonium fluoride is added to mask iron and 'aluminum. After adjustment to pH 6, cobalt, nickel, and copper are chelated with sodium diethyl-dithiocarbamate and extracted into methyl isobutyl ketone. The sample is set aside for 24 h before analysis to remove interferences from manganese. For a 0.200-g sample, the limits of determination are 5–1000 ppm for Co, Ni, and Cu. As much as 50% Fe, 25% Mn or Ca, 20% Al and 10% Na, K, or Mg in the sample either individually or in various combinations do not interfere. Results obtained on five U.S. Geological Survey rock standards are in general agreement with values reported in the literature.     

Determination of lead in tooth-pastes by electrothermal atomic-absorption spectrophotometry with platform atomization

Electrothermal atomic-absorption spectrometry is used for the determination of lead in tooth-pastes, by means of the graphite platform/matrix-modification technique. The method is easy to apply, has limited interferences and is more precise than conventional flame AAS. The working concentration range is up to 100 mug/1. The method is characterized by a detection limit of 0.08 mug/1. and a precision of +/-1.9 % for the sample solutions. For the tooth-pastes, the detection limit is between 1.1 and 5.4 ng/g and the precision in the range 1.8-10%.     

Interferences and their elimination in the determination of the noble metals by atomic-absorption spectrophotometry

A number of serious interferences in the determination of the noble metals by atomic-absorption spectrophotometry have been investigated, and ways of eliminating them considered. The use of the nitrous oxide and acetylene flame reduced many of the interferences but also reduced the sensitivity. Additions of lanthanum, copper sulphate, copper + cadmium sulphate, uranium, and vanadium as releasing agents were effective in the removal of interferences for one or more of the noble metals in the air-acetylene flame. Uranium additions were found to be effective in removing mutual interferences associated with the noble metals (osmium and indium were not tested) whereas vanadium removed mutual and base-metal interferences. The precision and accuracy of methods of analysis based on the use of uranium and vanadium were acceptable, and the application of these methods to the analysis of noble metals collected by various procedures is briefly discussed.     

A comparative study of flame atomic-absorption methods for determination of zinc in serum and blood plasma

Seven selected methods for determination of zinc in blood plasma by flame atomic-absorption spectroscopy have been compared. Analytical characteristics such as sensitivity, detection limit, precision, analytical recovery, accuracy and physical interferences were studied. Two of the seven methods are recommended as the most suitable for the purpose.