Coupled Plasma Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry Research Articles

Simultaneous detection of selenium by atomic fluorescence and sulfur by molecular emission by flow-injection hydride generation with on-line reduction for the determination of selenate, sulfate and sulfite

An inductively coupled plasma atomic fluorescence spectrometry (ICP-AFS) instrument, was modified so that it was capable of monitoring transient chromatographic or flow-injection profiles and that sulfur molecular emission and selenium atomic fluorescence could be monitored simultaneously in an argon–hydrogen diffusion flame on a glass burner. The analytes were introduced as hydrogen selenide and hydrogen sulfide, generated on a flow-injection manifold. Selenate was reduced to hydride-forming selenite by microwave-assisted on-line reaction with hydrochloric acid, and sulfate, or sulfite, was reduced to hydride-forming sulfide by a mixture of hydriodic acid, acetic acid and sodium hypophosphite. The effects of the nature of reducing agent, flow rate, microwave power and coil length were studied. The limit of detection (3 s) for selenium was 10 μg L −1, and for sulfide was 70 μg L −1 (200-μL injection volume). The calibration was linear for selenium up to 2 mg L −1 and to 10 mg L −1 for sulfide. The throughput was 180 h −1. The three sulfur species could be differentiated on the basis of reactivity at various microwave powers.

Layer-by-layer analysis of A4B6 thin-film heterostructures using inductively coupled plasma atomic fluorescence spectrometry (ICP-AFS)

The technique of layer-by-layer analysis of semiconductive A4B6 heterostructures using electrochemical etching and inductively coupled plasma atomic fluorescence spectrometry (ICP AFS) is developed. The Norr etching solution and electrochemical oxidation with subsequent dissolution of oxidized layers in acid were used to remove layers of 0.5 to several microns thickness. Pb1−xEuxTe/PbTe and Pb1−xEuxSe/PbSe heterostructures were analyzed. The Eu content in removed layers was determined by ICP-AFS. The data on Eu depth profiles were used for the evaluation of the Eu diffusion coefficient in this heterostructures to predict the changes of properties along the depth of the structure. The technique can be applied to the analysis of semiconductive heterostructures with different admixtures.

Hollow Cathode Lamp Excited Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry for Metal Determination in Organic Solvents

Hollow Cathode Lamp Excited Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry for Metal Determination in Organic Solvents

Determination of Ca, Mg, Na, Cd, Cu, Fe, K, Li and Zn in acid mine and reference water samples by inductively coupled plasma atomic fluorescence spectrometry

An inductively coupled plasma atomic fluorescence spectrometric (ICP-AFS) method was used for the determination of nine elements in natural water. Reference and acid mine water samples were analysed by this method to demonstrate its usefulness for hydrogeochemical exploration. The elements were determined in two groups based on the compatibility of operating conditions and consideration of element abundance levels in natural water. Ca, Mg and Na were determined as a group using one set of instrumental conditions and a 1 + 99 dilution of the sample, and Cd, Cu, Fe, K, Li and Zn were determined using another set of conditions and the undiluted sample. The detection limits for the elements are as follows: Ca, 1.4; Mg, 1.7; Na, 2.0; Cd, 1.8; Cu, 6.2; Fe, 15.8; K, 3.5; Li, 0.3; and Zn, 1.2 ng ml–1. Each element has a linear range spanning about four orders of magnitude. The method has good precision and accuracy, as shown by statistics on replicate analyses and by the agreement between values obtained and those recommended for the reference water samples, and also those obtained by atomic absorption spectrometry for the acid mine water samples.

Determination and distribution of trace elements in marine invertebrates.

Inductively coupled plasma atomic fluorescence spectrometry (ICP-AFS) was applied to the determination of trace elements in edible parts of marine invertebrates. Element contents (except aluminium and lead) in the NBS standard reference material 1566: oyster tissue measured by ICP-AFS were in agreement with certified values. Furthermore, analytical results indicated that ICP-AFS is one of the effective multielement analyses, because of a simultaneous determination capability, large dynamic ranges, small interelement interferences, and a satisfactory precision.From the investigation of the elemental distribution in marine invertebrates, the highest concentrations of transition elements were found in the kidney of the scallop. It was found that the liver of the lobster contained high levels of copper and cadmium. Especially, the cadmium concentration in the liver was about two thousand times higher than that of the abdominal muscle.Gel filtration profiles (Sephadex G-75) of iron, copper, zinc and cadmium in livers of marine organisms varied according to species. Moreover, a significant difference in the chromatogram of copper was observed among the oyster samples collected from five sampling sites. The ratio of the third peak area indicating the lowest molecular weight (below 5, 000) to the whole was related to the total amount of copper in the liver of the oyster.The result by analytical electron microscopy indicated that iron, copper and sulphur were localized in granules of epithelial cells of the oyster gills. In contrast, these elements were not detected in other analytical points such as nuclei or cytoplasm.

Application of Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry in the Steel Industry

Abstract ICP atomic fluorescence spectrometry has been used to analyze a variety of materials that include an iron ore and a blast furnace slag, as well as low alloy and stainless steels. The technique provides selectable simultaneous multielement analysis with good detection limits. Spectral interferences and background effects are generally avoided and no computer, monochromator, polychromator, or complex scanning mechanisms are required. An examination of the effect of an iron matrix on detection limits shows a small but measurable degradation for aluminum and chromium. The intensity-concentration relationship exhibits strict linearity over three to four orders of magnitude measured from the lowest determinable concentration. The analytical results for aluminum, cobalt, chromium, copper, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, and silicon are in good agreement with certified values.