CLEAN LABORATORY CHEMISTRY FOR THE MICROWAVE-ASSISTED DIGESTION OF BOTANICAL SAMPLES

Clean laboratory conditions are a necessity when performing trace elem ental analysis of botanical samples. The accurate determination of tra ce level elements in botanical samples is often limited by contaminati on encountered in sample preparation rather than by the sensitivity of the technique used for analysis. Particular sources of contamination include reagents, the analyst, labware and the laboratory environment. By incorporating closed-vessel microwave technology and a chamber wit h a high efficiency particulate air filtered atmosphere, the risk of c ontamination from the environment is greatly reduced.