Electrothermal vaporization — inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry for trace metal determination in uranium and thorium compounds without prior matrix separation

The electrothermal vaporization (ETV) mode of sample introduction into inductively coupled plasma (ICP) has been examined for its suitability for the analysis of trace metals in uranium and thorium compounds without prior chemical separation of the matrices using atomic emission spectrometry (AES). The ETV interfaced with an ICP torch adapted for glove box operation, has led to determination of sub-nanogram amounts of Al, Be, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Zn, Dy, Eu, Gd and Sm using 10 μl of the sample aliquot containing 200 μg of U/Th matrix with a precision of 1–2%RSD. The results obtained here especially for rare earths in the presence of the matrix are of significance.