DETERMINATION OF CALCIUM BY ICP-OES

1 Solutions with calcium compounds are nebulised into an argon plasma, where all components are vaporised. Calcium compounds are dissociated and excited, and then emit radiation of which the intensity is measured at a wavelength of 317.933 nm. 

This procedure yields a standard curve that is linear up to at least 200 mg/L Ca. 

The detection limit is approximately 0.004 mg/L in the digest. The determination limit is approximately 0.012 mg/L (0.03 respectively 0.1 mmol/kg in plant material). 

1 The reproducibility of determinations by this procedure should give, at reasonable control and thorough sample preparation, a coefficient of variation within 5 % -h 5 mmol/kg. 

1 Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer. 

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