Simultaneous determination of Cd/Pb in cement using Tl as internal standard and Cr/Mn in alumina by atomic absorption spectrometry with slurry sampling

Author(s)

Alexandre Luiz de Souza

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Conjunto das Químicas (IQ e FCF) (CQ/DBDCQ)
• Defense date: 2007-09-18

Examining board members

Pedro Vitoriano de Oliveira; José Anchieta Gomes Neto; Fabio Rodrigo Piovezani Rocha

• Advisor: Pedro Vitoriano de Oliveira

Abstract

The aim of this work was the development of analytical methods for the simultaneous determination of Cd/Pb in cement and Cr/Mn in alumina by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (SIMAAS) and slurry sampling. Considering the errors of slurry sampling and the imposed compromissed conditions for the simultaneous determination, it was also the aiming of this work to study the application of internal standard for the sistematic and random errors correction. The viability of using Tl as internal standard was investigated for Cd and Pb determination in cement. The internal standard aplicability was based on the hypothesis of the element Tl would have to adsorver quantitatively on the particles of the material in suspension. The thermal behaviour of Cd, Pb and Tl in aqueous solutions and suspensions was obtained in presence and absence of different chemical modifiers. The best chemical modifier (5 mg Pd + 3 mg Mg) was chosen based on correlation graphs. The pyrolysis and atomization temperatures for the simultaneous determination of Pb were 600°C and 2000°C, respectively. The sample the preparation was made with 30 mg L-1 of Tl in 0,1% (v v-1) of HNO3 + 0.025% (m v-1 of Triton X-100. The evaluation of the accuracy was made with the determination of Cd and Pb in cement, microwave extraction in acid media and analysis of marine sediment reference materials (MESS1 and BCSS 1) and river sediment (Buffalo River, IEAEA 356). The results are concordant at 95% of confidence level using Studen\'s t-test. The detention limits (LD) was 0.14 µg L-1 (1.4 pg) for Cd and 1.2 µg L-1(12 pg) for Pb. The characteristic masses were 1.2 pg and 25 pg for Cd and Pb, respectively. The simultaneous determination of Cr and Mn in alumina was done without internal standard. Pyrolysis and atomization temperaturas were obtained in presence of different modifiers. Studies of interference shown that 100 mg L-1 of Al provoked increase in the analytical signals of Cr and Mn that was eliminated with the chemical modifier NaOH (0,2 mol L-1) + HF (0,4 mol L-1) combined with 350 mg of Nb as permanent chemical modifier. In this condition pyrolysis and atomization temperatures were 1400 °C and 2400 °C, respectively. The alumina suspensions were prepared in 2% (v v-1) HNO3. The evaluation of the accuracy was made with the determination of Cr and Mn in alumina reference material (Reduction Alumina Grating - 699) and the results were concordant at 95 % of the confidence level using Student\'s t-test. The detention limits (LD) were 0.11 µg L-1 (2.2 pg) for Cr and 0.17 µg L-1 (3.5 pg) for Mn. The characteristic masses were 10 and 1.3 pg for Cr and Mn, respectively. (AU)