Tellurium oxides complex hydrides

Because of the low wavelengths of its main resonance lines, tellurium is never routinely determined by flame AES, but the element may be determined with moderate sensitivity by flame AAS or AFS techniques, at 214.3 nm in an oxidizing air-acetylene flame. The detection limit is generally around 100 ng ml-1, which is inadequate for almost all environmental applications unless the element is pre-concentrated by a substantial factor.1 However, hydride generation plus AFS or AAS yields much more useful detection limits. Even so, pre-concentration may be necessary if the element is to be determined in natural waters, for example by extraction as the tributylphosphate complex.50 The... 

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