DETERMINATION OF ANTIMONY, ARSENIC, BISMUTH AND COPPER BY INDUCTIVELY-COUPLED PLASMA-ATOMIC EMISSION-SPECTROMETRY IN THE ELECTROREFINING OFCOPPER

Inductively coupled plasma atomic emissionspectrometry (ICP-AES) has b een applied as a rapid and routine method for the analysis of process electrolytes in the electrorefining of copper. Antimony. arsenic, bism uth and copper have been selected as major electrolyte constituents. F or these elements profound statistical studies of spectral and interel ement effects have been carried out. For As, Bi and Sb two analyte wav elengths have been selected, and for Cu one relatively insensitive ana lyte line has been chosen due to the high Cu concentration in samples. Best analytical lines were: As at 193.759 nm, Bi at 306.772 nm, Sb at 206.833 nm and Cu at 216.953 nm. Multiple linear repression proved to be very capable in the search of the best analytical wavelength and i dentifying interfering elements. Using simple acid based standards all elements investigated can be determined separately in complicated mat rices with satisfactory results, Differences between true values and m easured values can be partly eliminated by appropriate calculational m ethods.