Decomposition of marine biological tissues for determination of arsenic, selenium, and mercury using hydride-generation and cold-vapor atomic absorption spectrometries

Journal Article · Fri Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1985 · Anal. Chem.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ac50001a024· OSTI ID:5965663

Welz, B; Melcher, M

Three decomposition procedures for marine biological tissue samples were investigated for the subsequent determination of arsenic, selenium, and mercury by using hydride-generation and cold-vapor, AAS, respectively. (i) Decomposition with nitric acid under pressure in a PTFE bomb resulted in low values for arsenic and selenium but was adequate for the subsequent determination of mercury. (ii) Decomposition with nitric, sulfuric, and perchloric acids gave the highest values for arsenic and selenium, whereas mercury was partly lost under these conditions. (iii) Combustion in a stream of oxygen could be applied for all three elements and gave results that were in good agreement with the mean values of an intercalibration. Pressure decomposition with nitric acid is recommended for mercury, followed by a sulfuric and perchloric acids treatment for the subsequent determination of arsenic and selenium. Detection limits under routine conditions are 0.3 mg/kg for arsenic, 0.2 mg/kg for selenium, and 0.005 mg/kg for mercury. 29 references, 4 tables.

• Research Organization: Bodenseewerk Perkin-Elmer and Co. GmbH, Ueberlingen, West Germany
• OSTI ID: 5965663
• Journal Information: Anal. Chem.; (United States), Journal Name: Anal. Chem.; (United States) Vol. 57:2; ISSN ANCHA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400104* -- Spectral Procedures-- (-1987)
ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY
ARSENIC
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DATA
DECOMPOSITION
ELEMENTS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
INORGANIC ACIDS
MATERIALS
MERCURY
METALS
NITRIC ACID
NUMERICAL DATA
PERCHLORIC ACID
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
SELENIUM
SEMIMETALS
SPECTROSCOPY
SULFURIC ACID
TRACE AMOUNTS