ANALYSIS OF COPPER IN BISCUITS AND BREAD USING A FAST-PROGRAM SLURRY ELECTROTHERMAL ATOMIC-ABSORPTION PROCEDURE

A rapid method for the electrothermal atomic absorption determination of copper in biscuit, bread, and cereal samples is reported. Suspensio ns were prepared from ground samples in a 20% ethanol/water solution c ontaining 0.5% nitric acid and directly injected into the atomizer. Th e furnace conditions were optimized using fast-program methodology by replacing the drying and ashing steps with a modified drying stage. At omization was performed at 2500-degrees-C, and no clean-out was necess ary. Calibration was performed with aqueous standards. The results obt ained by the slurry procedure were similar to those obtained by conven tional calcination and dissolution in acids. Results for two standard reference materials are also reported.