A spectral interference in the determination of arsenic in high-purity lead and lead-base alloys using electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry and Zeeman-effect background correction

Abstract

Arsenic, antimony, and tellurium are determined at part-per-million concentration levels in bullet lead, lead-base alloy, and high purity lead using electrothermal atomization atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) with Zeeman-effect background correction. A spectral interference by lead absorption lines resulting from excited state transitions is observed on both primary arsenic analysis lines, at 193.696 nm and 197.197 nm. Analytical bias caused by the interference at 197.197 nm is eliminated by using temperature programming and temporal resolution.