The determination of zinc in the feed-water to high pressure boilers by atomic-fluorescence spectroscopy

Abstract

A rapid and sensitive atomic-fluorescence method is described for the determination of zinc in feed-water to high pressure boilers within the range 0·0004 to 0·01 p.p.m. A microwave-excited electrodeless discharge tube is used as the excitation source to stimulate zinc fluorescence at 213·9 nm from a sample solution sprayed into the air-hydrogen flame.

The limit of detection of the final method was 0·0004 p.p.m. of zinc and within-batch coefficients of variation were 1·2 per cent. at the 0·01 p.p.m. level and 3·4 per cent. at the 0·005 p.p.m. level.

Impurities and additives that are likely to be present in the feed-water were examined and it was shown that none interfered.

The method was compared with a solvent-extraction-atomic-absorption method.