DETERMINATION OF CADMIUM IN WHOLE-BLOOD AND URINE BY ELECTROTHERMAL ATOMIC-ABSORPTION SPECTROMETRY USING PALLADIUM-BASED MODIFIERS AND IN-SITU DECONTAMINATION

The determination of Cd in whole blood and urine by electrothermal ato mic absorption spectrometry using Pd-based modifiers and in situ decon tamination was studied, The performance of Pd, Pd + NH4NO3, and Pd + M g(NO3)(2) as modifiers were compared with respect to maximum pyrolysis and atomization temperatures, background attenuation, linear calibrat ion range and matrix interference, Samples were diluted (1 + 4) with 0 .1% Triton X-100 (blood) or 0.2% HNO3 (urine), and introduced onto the graphite tube platform already containing the in situ dried and decon taminated modifier, The influence of modifier volume and concentration , as well as that of the dilution ratio was investigated, The proposed procedure involves the use of Pd(NO3)(2) + Mg(NO3)(2) as modifier, a pyrolysis temperature of 700 degrees C and an in situ decontamination step of 1200 degrees C, The atomization temperature was 1700 degrees C . The detection limit (n = 10, k = 3) was 0.22 mu g l(-1) for both sam ples, Typical relative standard deviation values (n = 3) were below 3% . Using matrix-matched standards, good agreement was observed between experimental and reference values in the analysis of certified referen ce materials, Interlaboratory comparison data have confirmed the valid ity of the proposed analytical procedure.