2004 Volume 90 Issue 2 Pages 86-91
We examined the methods for determining trace amount of tramp elements contained in iron and steels using the graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GF-AAS). We also investigated the graphite furnace heating conditions for no-loss ashing and high-efficiency atomization of tramp elements by the graphite furnace atomic absorption method. Vaporization of each element was observed for various heating conditions by using the electrothermal vaporization /ICP mass analysis method, which used the same type of graphite furnace as the one used for the atomic absorption method. As a result, we confirmed that all elements could only be observed by the atomizing step. Assuming the lower detection limit of this method to be 3σ, the detection limit for 1 g of specimen was 0.05ppm for As, 0.025ppm for Bi, 0.017 ppm for Pb, 0.022 ppm for Sb, 0.020 ppm for Sn, and 0.003 ppm for Zn. This method was demonstrated to be an accurate and fast tramp element analyzing method.
