The use of a non-dispersive atomic fluorescence spectrometer for the determination of zinc in soils and nonferrous metal alloys

Abstract

The instrumentation for a simple non-dispersive atomic fluorescence spectrometer is described. A detection limit of 0.0005 p.p.m. was obtained for the determination of zinc in aqueous solution with this spectrometer and an argon separated air-acetylene flame; a detection limit of 0.001 p.p.m. was obtained with similar instrumentation incorporating a monochromator. Procedures for the determination of zinc in soils and non-ferrous metal alloys are described. Results are given for the analysis of eight soils containing 0.5–20 p.p.m. of zinc and ten non-ferrous metal alloys containing 0.002–35% of zinc. Since the detection system employed was d.c., maximum sensitivity could not be used for the analysis of these materials because of the significant emission noise of the flame. However, the results indicate the potential of non-dispersive atomic fluorescence spectrometry for the analysis of technical materials.