Sample preparation methods oxygen bomb combustion

Sample Preparation Using Oxygen Bomb Combustion Method... 

The first step in analysing plastics for metals content in polymers by ICP-AES technique is that they must be prepared in solutions that are suitable for nebulization. There are four general methods applicable for sample preparation for metal analysis by ICP-AES and they are solvent dissolution of some plastics dry ashing using a muffle furnace acid digestion using a microwave oven and oxygen bomb combustion. 

The concentration of metals that are detrimental to catalysts added can vary between 20.0 ppm for Fe to 100 ppm for Ni and lOOOppm for V. The presence of these metals necessitates the need for analysis of these metals to determine their concentrations prior to the cracking process. The best method to analyse these oil samples needs to be rapid and accurate. Careful selection of the method either from experience or by trial and error may be applied depending on the metal and the concentration. Sample dissolution in a solvent or solvent mixture is considered the easiest but may not be suitable for low limits of detection. Destructive sample preparation methods, i.e. oxygen bomb combustion, microwave acid digestion followed by pre-concentrating may be required for trace analysis and/or with the aid of a hyphenated system, e.g. ultrasonic nebuliser. Samples prepared by destmctive methods are dissolved in aqueous solutions that have very low matrix and spectral interferences. 

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