Rapid and sensitive determination of total vanadium inairborne particulates by an extraction—spectrometric method with N-benzoyl-N-phenylhydroxylamine

A method is described for the rapid and sensitive determination of 0.06 μg of total vanadium in airborne particulates collected in the filter bag of an air-cleaner or on a membrane filter attached to an air sampler. The method is based on decomposition of organic matter in the sample and membrane filter by successive use of nitric, sulfuric and perchloric acids, and decomposition of the suspended silicate residue in a sulfuric—hydrofluoric acid mixture, followed by the extraction of a vanadium—N-benzoyl-N-phenylhydroxylamine complex into chloroform for spectrophotometric measurement. A comparison with the troublesome fusion method for the residue is included.