Determination of a trace amount of beryllium in a water sample by graphite-furnace AAS after preconcentration with Xylenol Orange and capriquat-loaded silica gel

;A rapid and simple preconcentration method by selective adsorptation using silica gel loaded with Xylenol Orange(XO) / trioctylmethylammonum chloride (capriquat) is described for the determination of a trace amount of berylli um by graphite-furnace AAS(GF-AAS). A sample solution of 100 similar to 230 0 ml containing Be was adjusted to pH 8. The solution was then passed throu gh a column packed with 100 mg of XO/capriquat-loaded in silica gel at a fl ow rate of 5 ml/min. The Be collected on the XO/capriquat-loaded silica gel column was eluted with 5 mi of 0.5 M nitric acid, and then determinated by GF-AAS. The calibration curve was linear over the range 0 to 0.1 mug/5 ml of Be. This method can be applied to the determination of trace amouns of B e in seawater samples.