Trace Metals and Major Cations

Varian

Service Provided: Elemental Analysis of waters and digests.

Technique Used: Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometers, with either flame or graphite furnace atomization.

 

Detection Limit and Concentration Range:

 

Furnace

Flame
Element Symbol Detection Limit (ppm) Optimum Working Range (ppm) Detection Limit (ppm) Optimum Working Range (ppm)
Aluminum Al 0.003 0.02 - 0.2 1 5 - 50
Barium Ba 0.002 0.01 - 0.2 0.4 1 - 20
Beryllium Be     0.1 0.5 - 4
Cadmium Cd 0.0001 0.0005 - 0.01 0.025 0.05 - 2
Calcium Ca     0.08 0.2 - 7
Chromium Cr 0.001 0.005 - 0.1 0.25 0.5 - 10
Cobalt Co 0.001 0.005 - 0.1 0.2 0.5 - 5
Copper Cu 0.001 0.005 - 0.1 0.1 0.2 - 5
Gallium Ga 0.003 0.02 - 0.1    
Gold Au 0.001 0.005 - 0.1 0.25 0.5 - 20
Iron Fe 0.001 0.005 - 0.1 0.12 0.3 - 5
Lead Pb 0.002 0.005 - 0.1 0.5 1 - 20
Lithium Li 0.002 0.005 - 0.1    
Magnesium Mg     0.007 0.02 - 0.5
Manganese Mn 0.0002 0.001 - 0.03 0.05 0.1 - 3
Molybdenum Mo 0.001 0.003 - 0.06 0.4 1 - 40
Nickel Ni 0.001 0.005 - 0.05 0.15 0.3 - 5
Potassium K     0.04 0.1 - 2
Rubidium Rb 0.0002 0.001 - 0.01 0.1 0.5 - 10
Selenium Se 0.01 0.02 - 0.3    
Silver Ag 0.0002 0.001 - 0.025 0.06 0.1 - 4
Sodium Na     0.015 0.03 - 1
Strontium Sr     0.02 0.05 - 10
Tin Sn 0.005 0.02 - 0.3 4 10 - 300
Vanadium V 0.004 0.01 - 0.2 0.8 2 - 100
Zinc Zn 0.00005 0.0002 - 0.004 0.02 0.05 -1

 

Sample Collection and Preparation

Dissolved Elements in Aqueous Solutions

Samples should be filtered through a 0.45um filter into an acid leached plastic container and acidified with trace metal grade (or better) nitric acid (HNO3) to a final concentration of 0.1% v/v.

For flame analysis, a minimum sample size of 10mL is required for one element , plus 5ml for each additional element.

For furnace analysis, 2mL is the minimum sample size for a single element, plus 1ml for each additional element.  

A field blank should be included in the sample batch.

Total Recoverable Elements

Metals can be determined in tissues, waters, and sediment samples after a hot acid digestion preparation. The digestion can be complete, such as for tissue samples, or it can simply be an aggressive leaching process, such as for sediment samples. Please contact the Laboratory Manager if complete digestion of alumino-silicates is required.

Care should be taken to homogenize the samples and collect in acid leached plastic containers.  Sample homogeneity is usually the limiting factor for analytical precision.

General Precautions

Contamination is a severe problem, especially for certain analytes such as iron, lead, and zinc. Extra precautions need to be taken during sample collection and storage. Please feel free to contact the Analytical Lab for guidance or questions about any handling procedures.

Silver and tin are only slightly soluble in the presence of chlorides. Low recoveries may be indicated by our quality assurance procedures.

Silver in the presence of nitrates or nitrites is light sensitive. Be sure samples are stored with minimal exposure to light.

Rates

Trace Elements or Major Cation Analysis

UC Rate

Non-UC Rate
Analysis by Flame
(per sample, per element)		 $8.22 $12.45
Analysis by Furnace
(per sample, per element)		 $12.28 $18.60
Digest
(per sample)
 $11.13 $16.86

Analysts

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions on Trace Metals and Major Cations Analysis:
 
Georges Paradis, paradis@msi.ucsb.edu