Multielement Determination of Major-to-Ultratrace Elements in River and Marine Sediment Reference Materials by Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

The multielement determination of major-to-ultratrace elements in river sediment reference material (NIES No.16) and marine sediment reference material (NIES No.12) was investigated by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The sediment samples were decomposed by alkali fusion with lithium metaborate (LiBO₂) in a platinum crucible, and the residues were dissolved in 1 M nitric acid. The digested sample solutions were subjected to the analysis by ICP-AES and ICP-MS after appropriate dilution. In consequence, 42 elements were determined over a wide concentration range, for example, from Si 23.8% to Lu 0.29 µg g^-1 in the case of marine sediment reference material.