Determination of trace elements in biological materials using a hollow-cathode discharge: comparative study of matrix effects

Abstract

An emission source that does not appear to be significantly prone to matrix effects is the hollow-cathode discharge. In order to elucidate its effective potential a number of elements (aluminium, arsenic, calcium, copper, gallium and zinc) were determined in the presence of various compounds (orthophosphoric acid, sodium nitrate and potassium nitrate) over a wide range of concentrations and internal ratios. The same elements were determined in liquid samples resulting from mineralisation of biological materials (kidney, liver, brain and blood of mice). The results showed that the hollow-cathode emission source is affected by this type of interference to a lesser extent than atomic-absorption spectrometry and arc-emission spectrography.