Determination of nanogram amounts of praseodymium and terbium by means of candoluminescence emission

Abstract

Praseodymium and terbium give rise to intense red and green candoluminescence, respectively, in a calcium oxide-calcium sulphate matrix, placed in a hydrogen-nitrogen-air flame. The emissions are used to determine 0.05–1 ng of praseodymium and 1–25 ng of terbium in 1 µl of solution. Most other lanthanoids have little effect on the determination of praseodymium, but cerium, scandium, europium and praseodymium seriously interfere in the determination of terbium.