A novel approach for an automated liquid/liquid extraction system—principle and application for the determination of several trace contaminants in highly alloyed steels and base alloys
AbstractA novel automated liquid/liquid extraction system was developed for the determination of trace contaminants in unalloyed, alloyed and highly alloyed steels and super alloys. In the presented batch extraction system the aqueous phase and the non-water miscible organic phase were brought into close phase contact by high-speed stirring with a magnetic stir bar. Iodide complexes of Ag, Bi, Cd, Pb, Sb, Sn, Tl, and Zn were extracted from aqueous steel digests into 4-methylpentan-2-one (MIBK) containing 20 g L−1 trioctylphosphine oxide. Ag, Bi, Cd, Pb, and Tl were extracted quantitatively whereas the extraction yields of Sb, Sn, and Zn were 83%, 61% and 75% respectively. Using high resolution continuum source flame AAS (HR-CS-FAAS) for analyte quantification the method was validated using 21 certified steel reference materials (CRMs).
 Figure 
Determination of tin, bismuth, antimony, indium, gallium and arsenic by solvent extraction cum atomic absorption spectrophotometry.
A rapid atomic absorption spectrometric method for the determination of tin, antimony, bismuth, indium, gallium and arsenic in geological materials, steels and alloys is described. The samples are fused with sodium peroxide (for geological samples such as cassiterite and sulphides) or decomposed with sulphuric/hydrochloric acid mixture or by alkaline fusion (for silicates or bauxites) or by acid treatment (for steels, alloys and certain geological samples). The elements of interest are extracted as their iodides into methyl isobutyl ketone, stripped into aqueous solution by treatment with benzene, concentrated nitric acid and water, and determined by flame atomic-absorption spectrometry. Detailed study is made on stripping of the metals from organic phase as there no simple and rapid stripping procedures available. The method allows the determination of Sn, Sb, Bi and In down to 2 ppm and Ga down to 5 ppm. The relative standard deviations range up to 10% with an average of 2.5%. Apparent recoveries of these metals range from 90 to 110 with an average of 95% for Sb and 99% for others.
Characterization of a multimode sample introduction system (MSIS) for multielement analysis of trace elements in high alloy steels and nickel alloys using axially viewed hydride generation ICP-AES
A commercial multimode sample introduction system (MSIS) was characterized for simultaneous multielement hydride and nonhydride-forming elements (As, Bi, Co, Cr, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Sb, Se, Sn, Ti, V, W) in high alloy steels and nickel alloys by axially viewed ICP-AES. Vapor formed by the NaBH4 reaction and aerosol from a specially designed dual conical spray chamber and pneumatic nebulizer were injected simultaneously into a robust plasma. Spectroscopic effects caused by major and minor elements and nonspectroscopic interferences induced by matrix concomitants were evaluated both for conventional nebulization and for hydride generation. The objective of the study was to establish optimized operating conditions whereby both nonhydride and hydride forming elements could be determined simultaneously. It was observed that the sensitivities of the ‘hydride generating’ elements using a MSIS, were similar to those observed using conventional hydride generation. In comparison to conventional pneumatic nebulization, hydride LODs, were enhanced significantly by factors varying from about 2–20. Limits of detection using the MSIS, for nonhydride elements (Co, Cr, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Ti, V, W) were similar to those reported for the conventional sample introduction system. Several fundamental parameters such as Mg II 280.270/Mg I 285.213 nm ratios, excitation temperature (Tex) and the effect of hydrogen were also determined. The effect of hydrogen, formed during hydride generation, on intensities of nonhydride and hydride forming elements and excitation temperature was evaluated. This is important because hydrogen can modify the properties of the ICP. The effect of variable concentrations of tartaric acid, L-cystein, EDTA, and 1,1,3,3-tetramethy-2-thiourea as retarding agents for reducing deleterious effects of Ni was investigated. The accuracy of the procedure was verified by analyzing several certified reference metallurgical samples. An important conclusion of this multielement study is that the application of the MSIS for simultaneous determination of hydride forming and non-hydride forming elements in complex metallurgical samples by ICP-AES is constrained by matrix derived spectral line interferences.