Trace elements in marine waters by atomic absorption spectrophotometry

Trace elements of interest in sea water fall into two well-defined categories. Strontium, lithium, and rubidium are ideally suited to determination by atomic absorption spectrophotometry since minimal sample preparation is required and standard equipment may be utilized; standardization of techniques by which large batches of samples may be rapidly and accurately processed, is important. The transition elements are present in significantly lower concentrations and in complex, and largely unknown, chemical forms; pre-concentration is vital, Solvent extraction can also provide a crude differentiation between total and extractable fractions.