Interference-free atomic spectrometric method for the determination of trace amounts of germanium by utilizing the vaporization of germanium tetrachloride

Trace amounts of germanium can be determined by atomic spectrometry by utilizing the vaporization of germanium tetrachloride at ambient temperature. Using an intermittent or continuous flow reactor, the sample solution was mixed with concentrated hydrochloric acid to form volatile germanium tetrachloride which can subsequently be determined by atomic spectrometry. The conditions for the volatilization of germanium chloride were investigated in detail and rapid method for the determination of trace amounts of germanium in real samples was proposed. A detection limit of 0.5 ng ml(-1) (3 sigma(n-1)) was obtained by using atomic fluorescence spectrometric detection and the precision found was 0.8% for a germanium concentration of 100 ng ml(-1) Atomic emission and absorption spectrometric methods were also tested. Owing to the high selectivity of the reaction, no interference was found in the determination. The method was applied to the determination of germanium in several standard and certified reference materials; the results obtained were in good agreement with the certified values.