Analytical investigations and chemometrical characterization of polluted soils

Summary Soil samples were taken in the surroundings of an industrial plant with heavy metal emission. A convenient digestion method for the determination of the mobile anthropogenic part of the heavy metal contents of soils was selected. This heavy metal contents were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. The application of different multivariate statistical methods such as cluster analysis, multi-dimensional variance and discriminant analysis and factor analysis enables the objective characterization of polluted areas and of the degree of pollution as well as the identification of emission sources.     

Accurate determination of the noble metals II. Determination methods

As was shown in the first part of this contribution, accurate analytical determination of the noble metals in rocks, ores and alloys needs a sophisticated sample pretreatment prior to the final determination step of the preconcentrated elements. For this many instrumental and classical methods are available, the choice of which is usually dictated by levels of precious metal to be handled, nature of sample matrix and availability of the instruments. For trace levels (μg/g range) flame atomic absorption and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) emission spectrometry can be used. ICP emission is favoured because of ease of multi-element operation. At the sub-μg/g level furnace atomic absorption and nuclear techniques (mainly neutron activation) are favoured. Minor and % concentrations are best handled by X-ray fluorescence. The use of standard reference samples and internal and external laboratory control schemes are essential to the accurate determination of precious metals.     

Beer Digestions for Metal Determination by Atomic Spectrometry and Residual Organic Matter

Many standard and official sample digestion procedures for trace metal determination are carried out in open vessels on hot plates. A new procedure for the determination of trace metals by flame atomic absorption spectrometry or inductively coupled plasmaatomic emission spectrometry in beer samples was developed to be performed in closed reactors assisted by microwaves. The results are compared with the ones obtained by other procedures by means of the analysis of the variance. The differences between the procedures are attributed to residual organic matter. Voltammetry, absorption molecular spectrophotometry and high pressure liquid chromatography with a photodiode array detector are used to study the nature of these residues. Nitrobenzoic acids, phenolic acids and other organic compounds are often present after digestion. The results obtained are related to the precision in metal determination by atomic spectrometry. The need for elaboration of certified reference materials for trace metals in beer is suggested.     

微波消解-高分辨连续光源原子吸收光谱法测定锁阳和韭菜籽中的重金属元素含量

利用微波消解-高分辨连续光源原子吸收光谱法测定锁阳、韭菜籽两种中药材中铜(Cu)、铅(Pb)、镉(Cd)、铬(Cr)、砷(As)和汞(Hg)的含量.采用微波消解进行样品前处理,火焰原子吸收法测定其中的Cu含量,石墨炉原子吸收法测定Pb、Cd和Cr含量,氢化物发生原子吸收法测定As、Hg含量.方法线性关系良好,相关系数R^2大于0.999,加标回收率为95.61%~100.1%,RSD为0.8%~3.3%,测得锁阳和韭菜籽中Cu、Pb、Cd、Cr、As和Hg的含量值均低于《药用植物及制剂进口绿色行业标准》和食品安全国家标准《食品中污染物限量》(GB2762-2012)中规定的限量指标.方法分析速率快、干扰少、精密度高,适用于中药材中重金属含量的测定.     

金汞捕集冷原子吸收法测定生物样品中痕量汞的试样预处理方法比较

采用微波炉分解和湿法分解进行生物样品的预处理，结合高灵敏的金汞捕集冷原子吸收法测定了生物样品中的痕量汞。对采用不同分解方法获得的试样进行了空白值、精密度、加标回收，准确度及检出限等性能方面的试验和比较，方法成功地用于生物样品中痕量汞的测定。     

测定土壤中重金属元素时前处理方法的改进

建立了一种微波消解前处理技术的半消解法消解样品,采用原子吸收光谱法和原子荧光光谱法同时测定土壤中主要重金属元素铜、锌、镉、砷、汞的方法,检测土壤标准物质GSS-3、GSS-5、GSS-20,结果显示测定均值在标准差允许范围内,相对标准偏差小于8.5%(n=4),是土壤重金属元素快速检测的可选方法。     

Recent advances in the determination of the platinum group elements and gold

Accurate determinations of the platinum group elements (PGEs) and gold, known as the precious metals, have always been difficult tasks. The metals are often present at trace levels in sample types of complex composition. This situation has improved recently due to developments of instrumental methods and their applications to analyses of the precious metals in a variety of matrices. Attention has been given to determinations of traces of precious metals in biological, clinical and environmental samples. Foremost in importance is inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) which has provided a sensitive means of simultaneous determination of traces of PGEs and gold. Important extensions and improvements in atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS), nuclear and electrochemical methods have been reported also. More research on sample treatments, especially fire assays, applied to PGEs has been carried out. Chlorination has proven to be a viable alternative to fire assays for preconcentration of PGEs and gold in analyses of geological materials. In addition, the recent availability of some additional reference materials will be of great assistance in research work on precious metals.     

A Comparison of Sample Preparation Procedures for the Determination of Iron and Zinc in Bulgur Wheat by Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

ABSTRACT

A comparison was made of different digestion methods for the determination of iron and zinc in two types of bulgur wheat prior to their analysis in graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. Samples were digested by means of acid treatment in room temperature, acid treatment at 60°C in a water bath and in a microwave oven and by dry ashing in open ah system. Except for microwave digestion, the samples proved to be unclear. The concentrations of the elements studied in the bulgur samples obtained by the four digestion methods are inconsistent in limits of standard deviations. It was found that aluminum sulfate (4μg/10μl sample) added to the samples acted as a modifier, improving the signal shape and increasing the stability of slurries obtained from digestion procedures.     

Die entwicklung edelmetallselektiver extraktionsmittel und ihre anwendbarkeit in der analytischen chemie

Summary The classical fire assay technique is still the most important procedure for the isolation and determination of precious metals. However, the lead collection system is basically suitable for extracting gold and silver, less for platinum, palladium and the rare precious metals. Extensive corrections are required to achieve accurate results. Many attempts are published to improve the situation by applying alternate collectors, additional chemical separations and instrumental determinative methods, such as atomic absorption and plasma emission spectrometry.Promising methods could be employed if certain separating media (solvent extractants, ion-exchange resins) are provided which extract precious metals selectively and reversibly. In such a case the final calibration step can be carried out with standard solutions of definite composition.The designing of ler made extractants has to consider the complex nature of the solution chemistry of precious metals. Hence, the relationship between metal properties and solvent extraction and ion exchange is briefly surveyed. The outlook with respect to the authors' research activities is focussed on the synthesis, characterization and application of new organic liquid and solid extractants (modified polystyrene and silica gel). These materials are based on chelating formazans and ion-exchanging tetrazolium salts. The selectivity, efficiency and mechanism of metal extraction and re-extraction are reviewed with respect to the effects of substituents attached to the metal binding groups, the influence of organic solvents and the nature of various supports (silica gel, polystyrene). Certain analytical applications are presented, e.g. the determination of silver, gold, platinum and palladium by means of formazan extraction, sorption on to tetrazolium-resins and DCP-emission spectrometry. The methods offer the advantages of selectivity and simplicity.

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Herrn Prof. Dr. G. Tölg zum 60. Geburtstag gewidmet     

Determination of trace elements in Antarctic krill samples by inductively coupled atomic emission and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

Analytical methods were developed for the determination of trace elements in Antarctic krill samples applying inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GF-AAS). Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn were determined by ICP-AES, while Cd and Pb by GF-AAS technique. Two microwave assisted digestion procedures were elaborated for the preparation of 0.5-g krill samples using open and closed vessel systems. The efficiency of the digestion processes was checked by measurements of the total organic carbon content of the solutions obtained. The deviations of the analytical data from the certified values and the relative standard deviations of the concentration measurements were lower for all six elements investigated applying the closed vessel digestion system.     

Slurry sampling for direct analysis of solid materials by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS). A literature review from 1990 to 2000

The determination of trace metals in solid samples has traditionally been performed by acid digestion and subsequent measurement by a suitable instrumental technique. This dissolution step is time-consuming and it shows important drawbacks. For these reasons, in the past years many efforts have been focused on the direct analysis of solid samples. Among the developed methodologies, slurry sampling-electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry combines the significant advantages of the solid and liquid sampling methods, and it can be already considered as a mature technique, that is widely utilized for metal determination in both organic and inorganic matrices, even for routine analysis. Accordingly, this work gives a retrospective view of the progresses of this technique during the past decade (1990-2000).     

Electrochemical behaviour of gold, silver, platinum and palladium on the glassy carbon electrode modified by chitosan and its application

The chitosan-modified glassy carbon electrode can be used as a working electrode for the determination of precious metal elements: Au, Ag, Pt, Pd. In low pH medium, the complex anions of these precious elements combine with the protonated group ---NH₃⁺ in the chitosan molecule in the form of an ion-association complex. These metal ions were selectively enriched and we got sensitive anodic stripping current. These elements content in ore, welding material have been determined by this method. The results were consistent with those from standard sample and ICP atomic emission spectrometry method. The possible mechanism of electrochemical reaction has been proposed by the study of CV, UV and FT-Raman spectrometry.     

Comparison of ten digestion procedures for the determination of arsenic in soils by hydride-generation atomic absorption spectrometry

Ten different digestion methods were investigated for the determination of arsenic in soils by hydride-generation atomic absorption spectrometry. These methods included a dry ashing/digestion, several acid-leaching procedures, and digestions in a pressure decomposition vessel or a Kjeldahl apparatus. A certified reference sample was analysed and the results obtained for five other soil samples were compared with the data obtained by spectrophotometry. A nitric/sulphuric acid digestion was the most suitable. A brief interference study is reported.     

Simultaneous Determination of Total Nitrogen and Metal Elements in Tobaccos by High Performance Ion Chromatography

A simple method, developed primarily for simultaneous determination of total nitrogen and inorganic cations by high performance ion chromatographic (HPIC), was optimized for digestion of flue‐cured tobaccos, and compared with the traditional Kjeldahl method and atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). Nitrogen determination by either Dumas method or Kjeldahl method is time‐consuming and tedious. Metal elements determination by either inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS) or AAS may be more expensive and requires specialist equipment. The use of HPIC to simultaneous determine total nitrogen as ammonium ion and metal elements as inorganic cations after sample digestion significantly improves the speed of the analysis compared with the conventional methods. The cation‐exchange column and suppressed conductivity detector was used for determination of ammonium and inorganic cations in the presence of the elevated levels of sulfuric acid found in digested sample. The propsoed digestion method was accurate and precise, and required little investment. The determination of ammonium and inorganic cations was linear from 15 pg·L^?1 up to 25 ng·L^?1. The results obtained by the HPIC method were compared with those for the conventional methods approach for the determination of total nitrogen and metal elements. The application of the HPIC method is also demonstrated for a variety of other plant samples matrices.     

Determination of lithium in wines by atomic absorption spectrometry

Lithium (10–150 ng ml^?1) in wine is determined by atomic absorption spectrometry by direct nebulization and after digestion with mixed acids. The results of methods are similar. Thirty-four wines from various Spanish provinces are analysed.     

Determination of lead in plants in controlling phytoremediation processes using slurry sampling electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

The comparative determination of lead in plant samples by two atomic spectrometric techniques is reported. At first, slurry sampling electrothermal atomisation atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) was applied. The results obtained were compared with those found after a wet digestion procedure by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) or ETAAS. The accuracy of the studied methods was checked using a certified reference material (CL???1 CRM, Cabbage Leaves). The recovery of lead was 90% for slurry sampling ETAAS, and 86.6% for liquid sampling ETAAS. The advantages of the slurry sampling ETAAS method are the simplicity of sample preparation and very good sensitivity.     

Determination of Cu and Ni in plants by microdialysis sampling: Comparison of dialyzable metal fractions with total metal content

Microdialysis sampling is presented as an in situ sampling and sample clean-up technique with the potential to be used for determination of metals in plant suspension. Suspensions prepared from ultra pure water and flowers of a Blepharis aspera plant species obtained from a Cu and Ni mineralized site were sampled for Cu and Ni by microdialysis sampling after incorporating an optimal 0.05% (w/v) composition of humic acid in the perfusion liquid. Acid digestion of the plant samples was employed for quantification of Cu and Ni by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. All microdialysis sampling experiments were carried out at room temperature under quiescent conditions using a concentric type of microdialysis probe and electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry was employed for metal quantification. The versatility of microdialysis as an in situ sampling and sample clean-up technique was demonstrated by the ability to sample Cu and Ni from the complex matrices of plant suspensions. Linear relations between the concentrations of Cu and Ni determined after microdialysis sampling and acid digestion were established and the constant concentration ratios of the metals were found to be 0.0138 and 0.0440 respectively for Cu and Ni thus demonstrating the potential that microdialysis sampling has in prediction of metal concentrations in plant suspension after direct relation with the acid digestion method.     

Determination of Lead,Cadmium and Mercury in Surface Marine Sediments and Mussels

Abstract

Lead, cadmium and mercury were determined in sediments and mussels, and the ability of these indicators to record metal variations in coastal marine environment is described in this work. The results of an extended investigation of the status of three gulfs at Northern Greece are given, regarding the content of these metals in surface sediments and Mytilus galloprovincialis. The samples were collected during a four-year period. The total concentration of the above heavy metals was determined after digestion of the samples by suitable mixtures of acids, including nitric, perchloric and hydrofluoric acid. The digestion was carried out in a steel pressurised bomb with closed teflon vessels. Lead and cadmium were determined by means of electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS), and mercury by cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry (CVAAS). The results were statistically evaluated by analysis of variance, and emphasis was given to annual, seasonal and spatial sources of variation. The annual changes during the last four years and the spatial distribution of heavy metals load is also discussed.     

原子荧光光谱法测定色母粒中铅含量

建立了原子荧光光谱仪测定色母粒中铅的方法。将色母粒样品置于电炉中炭化,然后以HNO3–HClO4洗涤样品残渣,再加热使余酸挥发,通过控制余酸的量使试样溶液的酸度保持在0.8%~1.3%之间,用原子荧光光谱仪对样品消解液进行检测。该方法测定结果的相对标准偏差在3.66%~7.52%之间,加标回收率在82%~120%之间。与电感耦合等离子体光谱法、原子吸收光谱法和电感耦合等离子体质谱法等进行比对检测,检测结果在允许误差之内。     

Determination of silicon in biological samples by ICP-OES after non-oxidative decomposition under alkaline conditions.

A non-oxidative alkaline sample digestion procedure using tetramethylammonium hydroxide and a high pressure, microwave assisted autoclave digestion system was developed. The silicon concentrations of the digested samples were measured by inductively coupled axial plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Details of the digestion conditions as well as the optimised instrumental parameters for ICP-OES are described. The method was developed and tested using silicon-spiked ascorbic acid and applied to samples of animal tissue and organs. The total silicon content of two different reference materials, NIST 1577b Bovine liver and BCR 184 Bovine Muscle having neither certified nor informational values for Si was determined. The results obtained are compared with the results of independent methods such as wavelength dispersive x-ray fluorescence spectrometry (WDXRF) and solid sampling electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS). The method described achieves a limit of detection of 2 mg kg(-1) using 100 mg of solid biological or organic material and covers a concentration range of up to 500 mg kg(-1).