Cadmium and lead: Determination in organic matrices with electrothermal furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry.

Abstract

Experience has shown that atomic absorption analyses of lead and cadmium with pulsed-type graphite furnaces such as the Massmann design (Massmann, 1968) often are subject to various kinds of serious matrix interferences. Several authors, in particular L'vov (1976); Sturgeon and Chakrabarti (1977); Gregoire and Chakrabarti (1977); Van den Broek and de Galan (1977); Slavin and Manning (1979); Hageman et al. (1979); and L'vov and Ryabchuck (1982), have explained both by theoretical analyses and experimental measurements that many of the observed interference problems result in fact from the non-uniform temperature environment provided by the furnace. A methodological approach apt to reduce deterioration of analyte response is the application of chemical separation techniques prior to the determination step. Extraction of metal ions in the form of a chelate by an organic solvent is one of the most suitable methods.