DETERMINATION OF BISMUTH, CADMIUM AND THALLIUM IN 33 INTERNATIONAL STANDARD REFERENCE ROCKS BY FRACTIONAL DISTILLATION COMBINED WITH FLAMELESS ATOMIC-ABSORPTION SPECTROMETRY

The analysis of bismuth, cadmium and thallium in rock samples can be performed by flameless atomic absorption spectrometry, after separation and preconcentration by a volatilization technique. This method has the major advantage that small amounts of substance can be used with a minimum consumption of chemicals, so that sources of contamination are reduced. The detection limit for Bi and Tl is about 1 ppb and for Cd about 0.1 ppb in the rock. Depending on the content in the rock samples, the relative standard deviation is between 2 and 30%. Several attempts have been made to determine the yields of Bi, Cd and Tl from synthetic and natural samples. © 1979 Springer-Verlag.