Chemical modifier methods for the determination of bismuth and silver in nickel-based alloys and steels by Zeeman electrothermal atomization

Abstract

A reliable ETAAS method for determining trace amounts of silver and bismuth in a wide range of nickel superalloys and steels has been developed. This uses a single matrix calibration based on nickel and suitable chemical modifiers, such as hafnium and tartaric acid for bismuth and ammonium dihydrogen phosphate for silver. Detection limits are 0.06 µg dm^–3 for silver and 1 µg dm^–3 for bismuth. The method allows a wide range of alloy types to be analysed from a common set of calibration standards, which considerably simplifies and shortens the analysis.