On the mechanisms of organic acid modifiers used to eliminate magnesium chloride interferences in graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

Graphite furnace vaporization and inductively coupled plasma excitation, atomic emission spectrometry (GFV-ICP-AES) was applied for monitoring the volatilization of analytes (Cd, Pb, Zn), matrix element (Mg) and the release of carbon containing species. The gas streaming conditions were similar within the horizontal, end-heated graphite tube to that applied conventionally in graphite furance atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS). Gas evolution experiments were performed with the use of a quartz furnace, the evolved HCl gas was collected in an absorption vessel for titrimetric determination. The effect of both ascorbic and oxalic acids lies in essence on the promotion of the formation and thermal evolution of hydrochloric acid from the chloride salts at relatively low temperatures. Thus, in the GFAAS analysis, the hydrochloric acid can be evaporated in an extended drying step and/or at the beginning of a properly selected pyrolysis step without loss of analytes. The oxalic acid was found to be more effective than the ascorbic acid in the case of calcium chloride and sodium chloride matrices.