Optimisation of sample pre-treatment in the HG-AAS selenium analysis

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Environmental Science
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Accurate selenium determination is crucial for biological and environmental monitoring.
• Traditional sample pre-treatment methods for HG-AAS can be time-consuming and prone to errors.
• Efficient selenium analysis requires robust and rapid pre-treatment techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a fast and accurate pre-treatment method for biological materials for selenium determination.
• To optimize sample preparation for hydride generation-atomic absorption spectroscopy (HG-AAS).
• To reduce analysis time and minimize element loss and contamination risks.

Main Methods:

• Sample decomposition using a mixture of nitric acid (HNO3) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in closed microwave vessels.
• Combined pre-reduction and 'denitrification' step using amidosulfuric acid.
• Hydride generation-atomic absorption spectroscopy (HG-AAS) for selenium determination.

Main Results:

• A significantly faster sample pre-treatment process was achieved.
• The method demonstrated high accuracy in selenium determination.
• Minimized risk of selenium element losses and contamination during sample preparation.

Conclusions:

• The described microwave-assisted, closed-vessel method offers an efficient and reliable approach for selenium pre-treatment.
• This technique is suitable for routine analysis of biological samples using HG-AAS.
• The combined reduction and denitrification step enhances analytical performance and safety.