Analysis of coal fly ash and environmental materials by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry: comparison of different decomposition procedures

Abstract

Three different procedures for the simultaneous determination of major and trace elements in coal fly ashes and geological samples by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry are compared. Dissolution of the samples is achieved by a high-temperature fusion with Li₂B₄O₇ and subsequent dissolution in hydrochloric acid, or with a mixture of hydrofluoric, nitric, perchloric or hydrochloric acids by heating in a PTFE bomb or in a microwave oven. The accuracy of the methods are confirmed by analysis of six different NBS reference materials (1633 and 1633a coal fly ash, 1645 river sediment, 1646 estuarine sediment, 278 obsidian rock and 688 basalt rock). The relative standard deviations vary from 1–10%