COMPUTATIONAL ELIMINATION OF INTERELEMENTAL INTERFERENCE IN THE ANALYSIS OF COPPER, COBALT AND NICKEL IN POLYMETALLIC SEA BED NODULES BY FLAME ATOMIC-ABSORPTION SPECTROMETRY

A method has been described for the estimation of Cu, Co and Ni in pol ymetallic sea bed nodule samples by flame atomic absorption spectromet ry using single component calibration standards. Interelemental interf erence plays a crucial role in the estimation of Cu, Co and Ni by flam e AAS. Calibration by multicomponent matrix matching standards often f ails because of wide variations in the compositions of actual samples. Cu, Co and Ni values are depressed in the presence of appreciable amo unts of Fe and Mn present in the sea nodule matrix. Observed interfere nces have been eliminated computationally using a two parameter theore tical model. The method has been successfully applied for the estimati on of Cu, Co and Ni in real life sea nodule samples by flame AAS using single component calibration standards.