No.60 Analysis of Trace Elements in Coal by Use of Atomic Spectrometry

Abstract

Coal contains various hazardous trace elements. For these hazardous elements, especially volatile elements, such as Hg is in great concern, because those elements are likely to be released into air when coal is burned. In this study, we examined the determination of trace elements in coal by use of microwave-acid digestion (MW-AD) followed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) or inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES), and the effect of MW-AD condition upon the recovery of trace elements was investigated. In addition, the concentration of Hg in coal was measured by use of heat-vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (HVAAS).