Determination of neodymium, europium, gadolinium and erbium by flame emission and atomic absorption spectrometry

Abstract

BS>The behavior of neodymium, europium, gadolinium and erbium in flame emission and atomic absorption spectrometry was studied in a nitrous oxide -- acetylene flame. The effects of kind of different inorganic acids (hydrochloric, nitric, perchloric, sulfuric and phosphoric acids) in the concentration range of 0.1 to 3M on the intensities of the emission and absorption at 400 ppM Nd, 50 ppM Eu, 500 ppM Gd, and 50 ppM Er were investigated. The effects of addition of metal ions such as Na, K, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn and Al and some rare earths in the range of 100 to 10000 ppM on the intensities of the emission and absorption of Nd, Eu, Gd and Er were investigated. The intensities increased with an increase in the concentration of the metal ions (except Al) and the rare earths. The intensities appreciably decreased in the presence of 3000 to 10000 ppM Al. The calibration curves for Nd (0 to 1000 ppM), Eu (0 to 100 ppM) or Gd 10 to 10000 ppM) were not linear with both methods and exhibited a concave form with a bending away from the concentration axis. The curve for Er (0 to 100 ppM) wasmore » linear up to 50 ppM with flame emission (FE) and 60 ppM with atomic absorption (AA). Those for Nd, Eu, Gd, and Er obtsined by adding each of 2000 ppM of K, Y, and La were linear in the concentration up to 600 ppM with Fe and 1000 ppM with AA, 40 ppM with FE and 60 ppM wth AA, 600 ppM with FE and AA, and 50 ppM with FE and 60 ppM with AA, respectively. These methods were applied to synthetic samples and practical samples and good results were obtained. (auth)« less