The effects of Ni and Fe nitrate and nitric acid on the atomization of Ge in graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

Abstract

The influence on the atomization of Ge in the graphite furnace has been studied in the presence of Ni and Fe as nitrates, and HNO 3. It was proved that the thermally stable intermetallic compounds and germanates were formed, respectively, when Ni(NO 3) 2 and Fe(NO 3) 3 were added. It raised the maximum permissible ashing temperature, reduced the premature loss of GeO, as a result increasing the sensitivitiy of Ge determination. We believe that the mechanisms of Ge atomization are that intermetallic compounds GeNi 2, Ge 2Ni 5, Ni 5Ge 3, etc., directly dissociate to Ge atoms, while Fe 4Ge 14O 20 and Fe 2GeO 4 decompose into GeO 2 and GeO, which are reduced to Ge atoms.