Chemical analysis of manganese nodules: Part IV. Determination of Nickel after Anion-exchange Separation

A method is described for the a.a.s. determination of nickel in manganese nodules after its separation from interfering metals. After dissolution of the sample in a mixture of perchloric and hydrofluoric acids, manganese, iron, cobalt, copper and other elements are adsorbed on the strongly basic anion exchange resin Dowex 1 (chloride form) from 95% ethanol-5% 12 M hydrochloric acid. The nickel passes into the effluent in which it is determined by a.a.s. with an air-acetylene flame. The method was used successfully for the determination of nickel in numerous samples of nodules from the Pacific Ocean.     

Determination of Pt in urine of tram drivers by sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

The Platinum Group Elements (PGEs) used in automotive catalytic converters are partly emitted into the air during use and can enter the human respiratory system. Due to the increasing use of automotive catalytic converters, the importance of this problem cannot be overlooked.The goal of this investigation was to determine the concentration of Pt in the urine of individuals occupationally exposed to urban air with heavy traffic. Sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SF–ICP–MS) was used for determination of Pt in the urine of tram drivers. 38 and 34 subjects were investigated in Vienna and Budapest, respectively. Samples were taken from the tram drivers both before and after the shift.The results for Pt were compared to those from a previous study performed by our team. The comparison showed that the concentration medians were 4 times higher than the previous ones. Moreover, the values in Budapest were about twice as high as those from Vienna. A partly significant change could be observed between the two sets of data: before, and after the shift.