Spectral interference in the determination of molybdenum in geological samples by ICP-AES; a reassessment
Spectral interference in the determination of molybdenum in geological samples by ICP-AES; a reassessment
Agnihotri Rajesh; Sarin Manmohan
Geostandards Newsletter 25(2-3): 293-297
2001
DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-908x.2001.tb00605.x
Molybdenum concentrations in USGS reference materials and marine sediments have been measured using ICP-AES following dissolution of samples in HF-HNO (sub 3) -HCl with final aliquots made in 1 mol l (super -1) HCI. The concentrations determined at one of the recommended wavelengths, 281.615 nm, are found to be severely affected by a spectral interference from Al, leading to inaccurate analytical results. At an alternative wavelength, 202.030 nm, the Mo emission signal is attenuated in the window size + or -0.094 nm due to the presence of an Fe line (202.074 nm), thus affecting the analytical sensitivity of measurements. The attenuation of the emission signal at 202.030 nm could severely limit the determination of Mo in geological samples.