Slurry and liquid sampling using electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry for the analysis of zirconium dioxide based materials

A slurry sampling and a liquid sampling electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry method for the determination of Al, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Si and Zn in powdered zirconium dioxide and yttria-stabilized zirconium dioxide are described and compared. Excluding the analyte elements Al, Cd and Si, no chemical modification was necessary. The behaviour of the zirconium matrix in the atomizer was studied by electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry and the radiotracer technique. The limits of detection of the slurry sampling technique for the elements Ca, Cd, K, Mg, Na and Zn are at the level 1-20 ng g(-1); for Al, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Li, Mn and Ni they are in the region 20-200 ng g(-1); the limit of detection for Si is at 2 mu g g(-1). For most elements, these limits of detection are factors of up to 200 lower compared with the liquid sampling technique. Comparison of the results with those obtained by liquid sampling electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry using acid digests and radiochemical neutron activation analysis proved that the slurry sampling technique provided satisfactory accuracy.