Trace element analysis of organic materials by the low-temperature plasma ashing technique

Abstract

Trace element concentrations in fossil fuels including crude oils are used for geochemical tracers related to their origin and maturity. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) has been frequently applied for their determinations. In the case of organic materials, organic matter should be removed beforehand because of carbon-induced spectral and non-spectral interferences. In this study, trace element concentrations in organic materials were analyzed through the Low-Temperature Ashing (LTA) pretreatment technique, which can efficiently remove organic carbon. As a result, quantitative recovery was obtained except depending on factors such as the volatility of element oxides and the solubility of residual ash in various acids. In addition, the measured concentrations were almost consistent with the certified and the reported values. LTA method is useful for the quantification of trace elements in various kinds of organic materials.