TRACE-ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF STEELS AND NICKEL-ALLOYS BY ATOMIC SPECTROMETRY

The determination of arsenic and antimony in electrical steel sheets a nd nickel-base alloys at low concentration levels using graphite furna ce atomic absorption spectrometry was investigated. The analytical and instrumental parameters were optimized. The influence of various modi fiers on sensitivity and reproducibility of analytical signal was stud ied. The selection of optimal temperature program with regard to volat ilization of the elements under investigation, background, matrix inte rferences, sensitivity and reproducibility of analytical signal and th e life time of graphite tube was made. Some characteristic data, such as detection limit, characteristic mass and reproducibility of results were determined. The accuracy of the method was tested with certified standard reference materials of steels and nickel alloys. The experim ental results agreed closely with the certified values for the both el ements.