A method for the separation of beryllium from spectral interfering elements in inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopic analysis

A quick, simple and effective chromatographic method for the separation of beryllium from a wide range of elements is described. The elements selected comprise elements which can interfere with the determination of beryllium by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) and elements which commonly occur in environmental and industrial sample matrices. Beryllium is separated from all possible ICP-AES spectral interfering elements using a single extraction chromatographic (EXC) cartridge containing an acidic chelating organophosphorus extractant, Dipex^®, sorbed onto an inert polymeric substrate. The separation method has been evaluated using simulated samples generated using several different digestion methods currently employed in beryllium analyses performed in Department of Energy (DOE) facilities. Incorporating a guard cartridge containing either 2-ethyl-1-hexylphosphonic acid mono 2-ethyl-1-hexyl ester or bis(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl)phosphinic acid to selectively remove U(VI) allows the isolation of beryllium from samples containing over 100 mg of uranium without changing the load, rinse or strip conditions of the method.