ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Multi-elemental analysis of marine sediment reference material MESS-3: one-step microwave digestion and determination by high resolution inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (HR-ICP-MS)

Vibor Roje

Division for Marine and Environmental Research, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička cesta 54, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia

E-mail: vroje@irb.hr

Received: 29 June 2009  Revised: 9 December 2009  Accepted: 12 December 2009

Abstract: Single-step microwave digestion methods using four different acidic dissolving reagents were investigated with the main objective to obtain a simple, rapid method for multi-elemental analysis of marine sediment samples by high resolution inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (HRICP-MS), especially for environmental studies. Closed-vessels microwave digestion procedures were carried out using the reagents as follows: HNO₃, mixture of HNO₃-HCl (φ _r = 9: 1), aqua regia, and mixture of HNO₃-HCl-HF (φ _r = 8: 1: 1). The elements analyzed were: Al, As, Ba, Be, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, Pb, Sb, Sn, Sr, Ti, Tl, V, and Zn. Good recoveries were established for many of the metals analyzed even when only nitric acid was employed. However, for a good recovery of Sb and Tl, aqua regia should be employed.

Keywords: rapid elemental analysis - inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry - microwave digestion - marine sediment - trace elements

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.2478/s11696-010-0022-x

Chemical Papers 64 (4) 409–414 (2010)