Decomposition of marine biological tissues for determination of arsenic, selenium, and mercury using hydride-generation and cold-vapor atomic absorption spectrometries
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), Vol. 57:2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
ARSENIC
ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
MERCURY
SELENIUM
DECOMPOSITION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
HYDRIDES
NITRIC ACID
PERCHLORIC ACID
SULFURIC ACID
TRACE AMOUNTS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DATA
ELEMENTS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
INORGANIC ACIDS
MATERIALS
METALS
NUMERICAL DATA
SEMIMETALS
SPECTROSCOPY
400104* - Spectral Procedures- (-1987)