Electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometric determination of germanium in soils using ultrasound-assisted leaching

• Published in: Analytica chimica acta Vol. 531; no. 1; pp. 125 - 129
• Main Authors: López-García, I., Campillo, N., Arnau-Jerez, I., Hernández-Córdoba, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 21.02.2005; Elsevier
• Subjects: Analytical chemistry; Chemistry; Electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry; Exact sciences and technology; Germanium; Sediments; Soils; Spectrometric and optical methods; Ultrasonic treatment; Soils; Germanium; Sediments; Ultrasonic treatment; Electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry; Trace analysis; Ultrasonic treatment: Soils; Chloroform; Leaching; Hydrochloric acid; Boric acid; Sample preparation; Detection limit; Hydrofluoric acid; Standard curve; Thermoelectric atomization; Reliability; Ultrasound; Atomic absorption spectrometry
• ISSN: 0003-2670; 1873-4324
• DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2004.10.010

A procedure for determining germanium in soil samples using electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry is discussed. The analyte is leached from the solid sample by the addition of 1 ml of concentrated hydrofluoric acid to 10–300 mg of sample, and the mixture is then submitted to a 10 min ultrasonic treatment. After adding 0.4 g boric acid and 3 ml concentrated hydrochloric acid, germanium is extracted into 1 ml chloroform and back-extracted into an aqueous phase containing (0.05%, w/v) nickel nitrate. Ten micro liter of aqueous phase are introduced into the atomizer and the analytical signal from germanium is obtained using a fast-heating cycle. The detection limit, calculated using three times the standard error of estimate ( s y/ x ) of the calibration graph, is 0.015 μg g −1. The reliability of the procedure is verified by analyzing several certified reference materials.