Determination of beryllium in drinking and waste water by tungsten furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

Abstract

The optimum conditions for the determination of Be with the use of a tungsten furnace were investigated. A high rate of heating, which can be achieved with a tungsten atomizer, and the reductive action of hydrogen in the protective atmosphere both contribute to the higher sensitivity obtained at 234.9 nm in comparison with the use of a graphite furnace. The addition of Al(NO₃)₃ as a chemical modifier eliminated the interference of Mg and Ca at concentration levels typical for natural waters. For the peak height absorbance, a linear calibration between 0.5 and 30 pg of Be, a 3s detection limit of 0.16 pg and a characteristic mass of 0.2 pg of Be were obtained. The method is suitable for rapid assays in prospecting for water sources and in the control of drinking water but can also be applied successfully to the determination of Be in samples of contaminated water by using the standard additions technique.