Determination of boron in soils by sequential scanning ICP-AES using side line indexing method

Abstract

This paper describes the method for the determination of boron in soils directly by sequential scanning ICP-AES using the side line indexing method. In order to overcome the spectral wing interference caused by iron which is the one of the major matrix constituents the side line indexing method was used, in which the B 249.678 nm line is found by referencing the side line Fe 249.653 nm. The background correction position was chosen to allow the interference from iron to be constant. The sample dissolution method was investigated to avoid losses of boron as BF3 in the HNO3/HClO4/HF decomposition procedure. Instead of mannitol orthophosphoric acid was added with HNO3/HClO4/HF mixed acids with the result of 100% recoveries of boron. NBS SRM 1571 (Orchard Leaves) spiked with iron was used to verify the accuracy of this method.