Abstract
A rapid and sensitive method for the determination of beryllium in geological samples by atomic absorption spectrometry is presented. The sample {(0.10.5)g, containing less than 80 mg of aluminum} was decomposed with HClO4, HNO3, and HF, then evaporated to dryness. The evaporation was repeated with HClO4 and H3BO3 solution, then dissolved in diluted HCl. Aluminium solution, EDTA solution, and acetylaceton solution were added, and the pH was adjusted to 5.06.5 by adding NaOH solution, then the solution was extracted with MIBK. Beryllium in MIBK layer was determined by nitrous oxide-acetylene flame. If the content of beryllium is less than 0.05μg, the MIBK layer was back-extracted with diluted HCl, and the beryllium was determined by carbon tube atomizer. If the sample containes refractory minerals, the sample was fused with a mixture of Na2CO3 and H3BO3, and the melt was dissolved in diluted HCl, then beryllium was determined after MIBK extraction. The limit of detection is 0.1 ppm by nitrous oxide-acetylene flame and 0.001 ppm by carbon tube atomizer. The relative standard deviation in the determination of 0.006 μg to 5.0 μg of beryllium is 2 % to 17 %. The method is satisfactorily applied to the variety of geological reference samples.
