The determination of tellurium by nondispersive atomic fluorescence spectrometry using the hydride generation technique

Atomic fluorescence spectrometry with a nondispersive measuring system is combined with a hydride generation technique for the determination of tellurium. Atomic fluorescence measurement is based on the reduction of tellurium by either metallic zinc or sodium borohydride, introduction of the generated tellurium hydride into a premixed argon (entrained air)-hydrogen flame, and excitation with a tellurium electrodeless discharge lamp. The comparison of the zinc and the sodium borohydride reduction methods is discussed in terms of detection limit, precision and interference. The best attainable detection limits for tellurium are 2ng (0.1 $\text{ng}\text{ml}$) and 30 ng (1.5 $\text{ng}\text{ml}$) with the zinc and the sodium borohydride methods respectively. Analytical working curves obtained from peak-height and peak-area measurements are linear over a range of approximately 4 orders of magnitude. Of the mineral acids examined in the range up to 2.0 m. nitric acid gives a depressing interference in the range greater than 0.5 m in the zinc method, whereas all of the acids greater than 1.0 m give a slight enhancement of the signal in the sodium borohydride method. The presence of several elements including other hydride-forming elements in 1000-fold ratio to tellurium causes a depressing interference, while enhancing interferences from tungsten and vanadium are observed in the zinc and the sodium borohydride methods, respectively. The present system coupled with the zinc method has been applied to the determination of tellurium in several samples of high-purity copper metal after separation of the analyte from copper by passing an ammoniacal solution of the sample through Chelex-100 resin. The results are in good agreement with those obtained by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry.     

Mechanism of multi‐metal(loid) methylation and hydride generation by methylcobalamin and cob(I)alamin: a side reaction of methanogenesis

Metal(loid)s are subject to many transformation processes in the environment, such as oxidation, reduction, methylation and hydride generation, predominantly accomplished by prokaryotes. Since these widespread processes affect the bioavailability and toxicity of metal(loid)s to a large extent, the investigation of their formation is of high relevance. Methanogenic Archaea are capable of methylating and hydrogenating Group 15 and 16 metal(loid)s arsenic, selenium, antimony, tellurium, and bismuth due to side reactions between central methanogenic cofactors, methylcobalamin (CH₃Cob(III)) and cob(I)alamin (Cob(I)). Here, we present systematic mechanistic studies on methylation and hydride generation of Group 15 and 16 metal(loid)s by CH₃Cob(III) and Cob(I). Pentavalent arsenical species showed neither methylation nor reduction as determined by using a newly developed oxidation state specific hydride generation technique, which allows direct determination of tri‐ and pentavalent arsenic species in a single batch. In contrast, efficient methylation of trivalent species without a change in oxidation state indicated that the methyl transfer does not proceed via a Challenger‐like oxidative methylation, but via a non‐oxidative methylation. Our findings also point towards a similar mechanism for antimony, bismuth, selenium, and tellurium. Overall, we suggest that the transfer of a methyl group does not involve a free reactive species, such as a radical, but instead is transferred either in a concerted nucleophilic substitution or in a caged radical mechanism. For hydride generation, we propose the intermediate formation of hydridocobalamin, transferring a hydride ion to the metal(loid)s. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Non-dispersive atomic-fluorescence spectrometry of trace amounts of bismuth by introduction of its gaseous hydride into a premixed argon (entrained air)-hydrogen flame

A method has been developed for the determination of bismuth by generation of its gaseous hydride and introduction of the hydride into a premixed argon (entrained air)-hydrogen flame, the atomic-fluorescence lines from which are all detected by use of a non-dispersive system. The detection limit is 5 pg/ml, or 0.1 ng of bismuth, but the reagent blank found in a 20-ml sample volume was approximately 2 ng of bismuth. Analytical working curves obtained by measuring peak-heights and integrated peak-areas of the signals are linear over a range of about four orders of magnitude from the detection limit. Perchloric, phosphoric and sulphuric acids up to 2.0M concentration give no interference, but nitric acid gives slight depression of the signal. The presence of silver, gold, nickel, palladium, platinum, selenium and tellurium in 1000-fold ratio to bismuth causes pronounced depression of the signal, whereas mercury and tin slightly enhance the atomic-fluorescence signal. The method has been applied to the determination of bismuth in aluminium-base alloys and sulphide ores with use of the standard additions method. The results are in good agreement with those obtained by flame atomic-absorption spectrometry and optical emission spectrometry with an inductively coupled plasma.     

Determination of mercury(II) ion by electrochemical cold vapor generation atomic absorption spectrometry.

A technique for determination of mercury is described; it is based on electrolytic reduction of Hg(II) ion on a graphite cathode, the trapping of mercury vapor and its volatilization into a quartz tube aligned in the optical path of an atomic absorption spectrometer. The electrochemical cell consisted of a graphite cathode and an anode operating with constant direct current for the production of mercury atoms. A pre-activated graphite rod was used as the cathode material. The optimum conditions for electrochemical generation of mercury cold vapor (the electrolysis time and current, the flow rate, the type of electrode and electrolyte) were investigated. The characteristic electrochemical data with chemical cold vapor using NaBH4-acid were compared. The presence of cadmium(II), arsenic(III), antimony(III), selenium(IV), bismuth(III), silver(I), lead(II), lithium(I), sodium(I) and potassium(I) showed interference effects which were eliminated by suitable separation techniques. The calibration curve is linear over the range of 5-90 ng ml(-1) mercury(II). The detection limit is 2 ng ml(-1) of Hg(II) and the RSD is 2.5% (n = 10) for 40 ng ml(-1). The accuracy and recovery of the method were investigated by analyzing spiked tap water and river water.     

Determination of Tellurium by Gas Phase Molecular Absorption Spectrometry After Hydrogen Telluride Generation

Abstract

A method for determination of tellurium(IV) or tellurium(VI) is described that involves hydrogen telluride generation by reduction with sodium tetrahydro-borate(III), evolution of hydride with HCl solution, transport into a flow-cell placed in a UV-visible molecular absorption spectrophotometer and measurement of gas at 190 nm. Hydride generation and determination procedures are optimized, based on height and area of absorbance versus time profile of hydrogen telluride generated. Using the best experimental conditions found the calibration curve is linear from 5 to 100 μg/ml of tellurium, 1.1 μg/ml of tellurium(IV) or 3.1 μg/ml of tellurium(VI) can be detected, and relative standard deviation ranges from 4 to 7%. The method is applied to the analysis of additives for synthetic rubber making.     

Determination of inorganic arsenic species As(III) and As(V) by high performance liquid chromatography with hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry detection

The paper presents the principles and advantages of a technique combining high performance liquid chromatography and hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry (HPLC-HGAAS) applied to speciation analysis of inorganic species of arsenic As(III) and As(V) in ground water samples. With separation of the arsenic species on an ion-exchange column in the chromatographic system and their detection by the hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry, the separation of the analytical signals of the arsenic species was excellent at the limits of determination of 1.5 ng/ml As(III) and 2.2 ng/ml As(V) and RSD of 4.3% and 7.8% for the concentration of 25 ng/ml. The hyphenated technique has been applied for determination of arsenic in polluted ground water in the course of the study on migration of micropollutants. For total arsenic concentration two independent methods: HGICP-OES and HGAAS were used for comparison of results of real samples analysis.     

Selective detection of bismuth(III) and iron(II) ions with certain new reagents

Isoperthiocyanic acid (3-amino-5-thione-1,2,4-dithiazole) (I), tetraethylthiuram monosulphide ("Tetmosol") (II), eosin (III), and mercurochrome (IV) are used as new qualitative reagents for bismuth, III and IV are also used for detection of iron(II). A conc. sulphuric acid solution of I, or an acctone solution of II, when treated with bismuth in presence of potassium iodide, gives a deep red or reddish-orange precipitate, characteristic of bismuth. Bismuth in presence of III or IV gives a heavy and characteristically bright deeppink precipitate on addition of ammonia. With I, 1 mug of bismuth may be detected with a dilution limit of 1:50,000. Sb(III) and As(III) do not interfere in any of these tests. Iodides interfere only when I and II are used as reagents. Pb, Cu(II). and Fe(III) interfere with III and IV. I and II are also proposed as reagents for iodide; nitrites would interfere. III and IV, with iron(II) on addition of ammonia, produce a precipitate with highly intense green fluorescence. No other common cation [including Fe(III)] or anion interferes. The limit of detection is 3 mug ml .     

The masking effect of iron(III) on the interference from nickel and copper in the determination of tellurium by hydride generation/atomic absorption spectrometry

Iron(III) can minimize the serious interferences from copper(II) and nickel(Il) on the determination of tellurium by hydride generation/atomic absorption spectrometry. The optimal concentrations were found to be 1 g l^?1 and 2 g l^?1 Fe (III) in 4.0 mol l^?1 HCl in presence of nickel (II) and copper (II), respectively. The signals were only 25 % lower in a solution of 1.6 g 1^?1 Ni(II) than for a nickel-free solution. For copper (II), reasonable sensitivity was retained in the presence of 100 mg l^?1 Cu(II).     

Sequential determination of tin, arsenic, bismuth and antimony in marine sediment material by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry using a small concentric hydride generator and L-cysteine as prereductant

A hydride generation system using a small concentric hydride generator combined with inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) was established to determine tin, arsenic, bismuth and antimony in a marine sediment material with L-cysteine as a pre-reductant. Influences of concentrations of three kinds of acids (HCl, HNO₃ and HClO₄), L-cysteine, and sodium tetrahydroborate(III) as well as sodium hydroxide were investigated. The interferences from transition ions were found to be insignificant for determination of the four elements in presence of L-cysteine. Under optimized conditions the detection limits were 0.6 ng/mL for arsenic(III), 0.8 ng/mL for antimony(III), 1.7 ng/mL for tin(IV), and 1.2 ng/mL for bismuth(III). The method was applied to determine the four elements in standard marine sediment materials and the results were in agreement with certified values.     

Studies in hydride generation atomic fluorescence determination of selenium and tellurium. Part 2 — effect of thiourea and thiols

In determination of selenium and tellurium by continuous flow hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry, the effect of thiourea and thiols was investigated in view of their potential to achieve mild reaction conditions and as masking agents of interference from foreign elements. The effect of thiourea and thiols was first tested in the absence of interfering species and using different addition modes to reaction system. In the absence of interfering species, thiols negatively influenced the hydride evolution of both selenium and tellurium and, in general, they did not produce the desired effects. Thiourea was well tolerated in the determination of both elements by appropriate choice of experimental conditions. Possible mechanisms producing the depressive effect of thiourea and thiols were also investigated and are discussed later. Compromise reaction conditions were identified by using on-line addition of a neutral thiourea solution to acidified sample, combined with KI addition to NaBH₄. Mild reaction conditions can be achieved by decreasing the NaBH₄ concentration but at the expense of a reduced linear dynamic range. In the presence of foreign elements, thiourea allowed good control of interferences generated by Cu(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Au(III), Ag(I) and Bi(III). Tolerance limits could be improved by factors in the range of 7–2000, for both selenium and tellurium determination. The method has been successfully applied in the determination of traces of tellurium and selenium in copper, lead and molybdenum ores, stainless steel and pure copper metal without any additional steps other than sample dissolution.     

Cation-exchange behaviour of the platinum group and some other rare elements in hydrobromic acid-thiourea-acetone media

Ion-exchange distribution coefficients and elution curves are presented for copper(I), silver, gold(I), palladium, platinum(II), rhodium(III), iridium(III), ruthenium(III), osmium(III), mercury(II), thallium(I), tellurium(II), lead and bismuth in mixtures of thiourea, hydrobromic acid, acetone and water, with the cation-exchange resin AGW50W-X4. The system affords excellent separations of rhodium, mercury, silver (or copper), tellurium, gold, and palladium (or platinum) from each other.     

Sequential determination of tin, arsenic, bismuth and antimony in marine sediment material by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry using a small concentric hydride generator and L-cysteine as prereductant

A hydride generation system using a small concentric hydride generator combined with inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) was established to determine tin, arsenic, bismuth and antimony in a marine sediment material with L-cysteine as a pre-reductant. Influences of concentrations of three kinds of acids (HCl, HNO₃ and HClO₄), L-cysteine, and sodium tetrahydroborate(III) as well as sodium hydroxide were investigated. The interferences from transition ions were found to be insignificant for determination of the four elements in presence of L-cysteine. Under optimized conditions the detection limits were 0.6 ng/mL for arsenic(III), 0.8 ng/mL for antimony(III), 1.7 ng/mL for tin(IV), and 1.2 ng/mL for bismuth(III). The method was applied to determine the four elements in standard marine sediment materials and the results were in agreement with certified values. Received: 4 September 1997 / Revised: 14 October 1997 / Accepted: 7 November 1997     

Synthesis of poly(acrylamidrazone-hydrazide) chelating fiber and application of enrichment-separation for traces of indium, tin, chromium, vanadium and titanium from solution samples

A poly(acrylamidrazone-hydrazide) chelating fiber has been synthesized from polyacrylonitrile fiber and used for enrichment-separation of traces of In(III), Sn(IV), Cr(III), VO(I) and Ti(IV) from solution samples with satisfactory results. These ions (5-250 ng/ml) can be quantitatively enriched (recovery > 95%) by the fiber at a 10 ml/min flow rate in the pH range 4-7, and desorbed quantitatively (recovery > 95%) with 10 ml of 2-5M hydrochloric acid from a fiber column at 6 ml/min flow rate. When the fiber, which had been stored in a glass bottle for about two years and then treated with strong acids (concentrated hydrochloric or nitric acid), was reused 10 times, the recoveries of the above ions by enrichment were still over 94%, and hundred-fold to thousand-fold excesses of Cu(II), Zn(II), Co(II), Ca(II), Mg(II), Fe(III) and Al(III) caused little interference in the determination of these ions by ICP-AES. The lowest concentrations for the proposed method were 50 ng/ml and In and Sn and 5 ng/ml for Cr, V and Ti. The RSD was 1.2-4.0%. The contents of these ions in real solution samples determined by this method were basically in agreement with the certified values of the samples, with average errors below 3.3%. The IR spectra of the fiber adsorbed with Cr(III) or VO(I) showed that Cr(III) or VO(I) combined mainly with nitrogen atoms in the fiber to form a coordination complex.     

Investigation of cobalt interference on lead hydride generation with tetrahydroborate(III) in the presence of hexacyanoferrate(III)

The interference of Co(II) on plumbane generation with tetrahydroborate in the presence of hexacyanoferrate(III) was studied with a new mechanism proposed to explain the interference. The products that were obtained, following reactions of a CoCl₂ solution with tetrahydroborate(III), which interfere with plumbane generation, were precipitated and investigated by inductively-coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry and -mass spectrometry (ICP-OES and ICP-MS). Batch experiments of the potentiometer analysis and pH determination were performed to investigate a mechanism of Co(II) interference on plumbane generation, the role of hexacyanoferrate(III) on plumbane generation, and the function of the masking agent on Co(II) interference. The preferentially formed nanoscale catalytic and magnetic cobalt borides in the redox system cause a potential for a strong reducing condition and induces the precipitation of Fe(III) and Pb(II) in the solution, which is counter to plumbane generation. Potassium thiocyanate/oxalic acid/1,10-phenanthroline, as the combined masking agent and working with hexacyanoferrate(III), decreases the amount of borides in the precipitates and acts as a kind of buffer of the redox potential, which maintains the conditions for plumbane generation. This hydride generation method has been applied to the direct determination of trace Pb in cobalt oxide standard reference materials with a detection limit of 0.3 µg L^− 1.     

Determination of trace arsenic, antimony, selenium and tellurium in various oxidation states in water by hydride generation and atomic-absorption spectrophotometry after enrichment and separation with thiol cotton

A novel procedure for determination of trace As(III) and As(V), Sb(III) and Sb(V), Se(IV) and Se(VI), Te(IV) and Te(VI) in water by atomic-absorption spectrophotometry after separation and enrichment with "thiol cotton" and hydride generation has been established. The sorption behaviour of various oxidation states of arsenic, antimony, selenium and tellurium, and the conditions of quantitative sorption and desorption of these species were studied. The procedures for reducing species from higher oxidation states were optimized. Interferences from other species and their elimination were investigated. The selectivity of the procedure for the determination of species in higher and lower oxidation states was examined. The procedure has been successfully used to determine arsenic, antimony, selenium and tellurium in water, in the range from pg ml to ng ml . The recoveries for added spikes were in the range 90-110%, with coefficients of variation in the range 3-8%     

Determination of As(III) and total inorganic arsenic by flow injection hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry

A simple procedure was developed for the direct determination of As(III) and As(V) in water samples by flow injection hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry (FI–HG–AAS), without pre-reduction of As(V). The flow injection system was operated in the merging zones configuration, where sample and NaBH₄ are simultaneously injected into two carrier streams, HCl and H₂O, respectively. Sample and reagent injected volumes were of 250 μl and flow rate of 3.6 ml min⁻¹ for hydrochloric acid and de-ionised water. The NaBH₄ concentration was maintained at 0.1% (w/v), it would be possible to perform arsine selective generation from As(III) and on-line arsine generation with 3.0% (w/v) NaBH₄ to obtain total arsenic concentration. As(V) was calculated as the difference between total As and As(III). Both procedures were tolerant to potential interference. So, interference such as Fe(III), Cu(II), Ni(II), Sb(III), Sn(II) and Se(IV) could, at an As(III) level of 0.1 mg l⁻¹, be tolerated at a weight excess of 5000, 5000, 500, 100, 10 and 5 times, respectively. With the proposed procedure, detection limits of 0.3 ng ml⁻¹ for As(III) and 0.5 ng ml⁻¹ for As(V) were achieved. The relative standard deviations were of 2.3% for 0.1 mg l⁻¹ As(III) and 2.0% for 0.1 mg l⁻¹ As(V). A sampling rate of about 120 determinations per hour was achieved, requiring 30 ml of NaBH₄ and waste generation in order of 450 ml. The method was shown to be satisfactory for determination of traces arsenic in water samples. The assay of a certified drinking water sample was 81.7±1.7 μg l⁻¹ (certified value 80.0±0.5 μg l⁻¹).     

Elucidation of interference mechanisms caused by iron on stibine electrochemical generation by differential pulse anodic stripping voltametry. A case study

The interference effect caused by the presence of iron – both (II) and (III) oxidation states – on the electrochemical generation of SbH₃ has been characterized. Interference from Fe(III) was more severe than for Fe(II). Total signal suppression was obtained for a Fe(III) : Sb(III) concentration ratio of 5 : 1, whereas a 40% suppression was obtained for Fe(II). A mechanism is proposed based on the results obtained by differential pulse anodic stripping voltametry. The standard conditions used for the hydride electrochemical generation were simulated in the differential pulse anodic stripping voltametry measurements in order to achieve valid conclusions. The reduction of Fe(II) onto the cathode surface prevents the formation of stibine avoiding the recombination of Sb⁰ with the hydrogen atoms adsorbed on the surface. The mechanism by which the Fe(III) interferes on the stibine formation is related to the co-deposition of the iron and antimony that also avoid the further recombination of the Sb⁰. The formation of a specie of stoichiometry not determined (probably 1 : 1) on the cathode surface may justify the larger interference effect observed for the Fe(III).     

Application of the photoionization detector for single determinations of hydride forming elements

The application of a photoionization detector in conjunction with a flow-through system is described for the determination of arsenic, antimony, selenium, tellurium, bismuth, tin, sulfide and ammonia. The analytical procedure is based upon a preliminary generation of the hydride compounds, their subsequent transfer to the gas phase and finally their detection in the photoionization detector. Linear calibration curves were obtained over three to four orders of magnitude with the following 3s-detection limits: 4 ng/ml As, 0.3 ng/ml Sb, 0.5 ng/ml Se, 3.0 ng/ml Te, 0.1 g/ml Bi, 0.5 g/ml Sn, 10.0 ng/ml S^2–, 0.5 g/ml NH₃.     

Preconcentration Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometric Determination of Trace Lead(II) by Hydride Generation Combined with an Adsorbent Water Suspension Sampling Technique

The optimization of preconcentration atomic absorption spectrophotometric determination of trace lead(II) has been studied by using hydride generation and adsorbent water suspension sampling techniques. The uptake of lead(II) by a specially adapted chelate-forming resin, that is, a sulfonated dithizone (DzS)-loaded resin, was complete in the pH range 6.3-10. Lead adsorbed on DzS-loaded resin was successfully converted into its hydride in a medium, HCI --- H₂O₂ --- NaBH₄ without the need for a desorption procedure. Chelating agents except for DzS and DzS-loaded resin interfered seriously with the generation of lead hydride. Severe interference from diverse hydride-forming elements and transition metal ions is eliminated to a great extent by the treatment with DzS-loaded resin. The calibration curve obtained from the lead-bearing resin-water suspension was linear in the range of 5-500 ng/ml, whereas that from aqueous standard solution was in the range of 5-200 ng/ml. The detection limit of the method depends on the concentration factor and is 0.025 ng/ml in the present study. The proposed method was applied to the determination of trace lead(II) in environmental water samples.     

Simultaneous determination of arsenic, antimony, selenium and tin by gas phase molecular absorption spectrometry after two step hydride generation and preconcentration in a cold trap system

A cold trap system for the simultaneous determination of arsenic, antimony, selenium and tin by continuous hydride generation and gas phase molecular absorption spectrometry is described. The hydride generation is carried out in two steps; first, tin hydride is generated at low acidity and second, arsenic, antimony and selenium hydrides are formed at higher acidity. All the hydrides are collected in a liquid nitrogen cryogenic trap and transported to the flow cell of a diode array spectrophotometer, where molecular absorption spectra are obtained in the 190-250 nm range. Five calibration solutions containing arsenic, antimony, selenium and tin are solved using multiple linear regression analysis. Tests are performed in order to extend the same manifold to other hydrides but no signals are obtained for bismuth, cadmium, lead, tellurium and germanium. Under the optimum conditions found and using the wavelengths of maximum sensitivity (190, 198, 220 and 194 nm), the analytical characteristics of each element are calculated. The detection limits are 0.050, 0.020, 0.12 and 1.1 mug ml(-1) and the RSD values are 3.7, 3.1, 3.5 and 3.0% for As, Sb, Se and Sn, respectively. The method is applied to As, Sb, Se and Sn determination in natural spiked water samples.