DETERMINATION OF ZINC IN HAIR BY X-RAY SPECTROMETRY

A rapid X-ray fluorescence procedure and an X-ray fluorescence procedu re with chemical pretreatment of the sample are developed for the dete rmination of zinc in hair. The analysis of a hair sample by these proc edures takes 0.5 and 3.5 h, respectively. The rapid procedure provides direct determination of zinc in dry, finely divided hair. The X-ray f luorescence procedure with chemical pretreatment involves the decompos ition of hair with concentrated nitric acid and the subsequent analysi s of solutions. Both procedures are based on the use of the reference background method. In the X-ray fluorescence procedure with chemical p retreatment, the calibration graphs are built using synthetic referenc e samples. In the rapid procedure, the results of analysis of hair sam ples obtained with the rapid procedure are used for constructing the c alibration graphs. Performance characteristics of both procedures are evaluated.