Determination of arsenic, antimony, selenium and tellurium in nickel-base alloys by atomic-absorption spectrometry with introduction of solid samples into furnaces

Atomic-absorption spectrometry with a resistively heated furnace has been used for the determination of 5–52 µg g–1 of arsenic, 0.1–5 µg g–1 of antimony, 0.07–20 µg g–1 of selenium and 0.07–2.1 µg g–1 of tellurium in milligram samples of nickel-base alloys added directly to the furnace. Calibration graphs of peak area versus the mass of trace element have been constructed by using standard nickel-base alloys. Information is presented on the accuracy and precision of the method for 23–34 alloys depending on the element under investigation. The limits of detection are arsenic 0.1, antimony 0.1, selenium 0.06 and tellurium 0.003 µg g–1.Results are also presented for the determination of 1–8 µg g–1 of tellurium in nickel-base alloys using atomic-absorption spectrometry with the introduction of solid samples to an induction furnace and for the determination of arsenic in the nickel-base alloys using atomic-absorption spectrometry after hydride generation and with electrothermal atomisation of solutions of the alloys.