Acid vapour-phase pressure decomposition for the determination of elements in biological materials by flame atomic emission spectrometry

Abstract

Acid vapour-phase pressure decomposition and a discrete sample nebulisation technique in flame atomic emission spectrometry were combined to provide a method suitable for the accurate measurement of major (Na, K, Ca and Mg), minor (Cu and Fe) and trace elements (Ba, Cs, Li, Mn, Rb and Sr) in three reference materials (Bovine Liver, Human Hair and Cotton Cellulose) and human hair samples. Biological materials are completely converted into soluble form by vapour-phase attack of nitric acid at 130 °C in a PTFE pressure bomb. The residue is taken up in water and processed directly by microstandard additions using atomic emission spectrometry with a dinitrogen oxide-acetylene flame and a discrete sample nebulisation technique. Good agreement between the results and the certified values for 12 elements was found. Accurate and reliable analytical results can be obtained by this method and it should be applicable to the determination of elements in any biological material.