Solvent extraction–microdroplet x‐ray fluorescence analyses of trace amounts of heavy metal ions

Abstract

Abstract Parts per billion amounts of heavy metal ions can be determined simultaneously by combining solvent extraction with microdroplet x‐ray fluorescence measurement. The use of diisobutyl ketone as a solvent for the extraction of heavy metal ions with sodium diethyldithiocarbamate is effective for improving detection limits in x‐ray analysis. A specially designed filter‐paper is used as a sample medium in the microdropler x‐ray fluorescence method and the volume of the droplets required for x‐rey measurements is only 20–100 m̈l. The detection limits of Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn and Pb ions are 15, 16, 8, 8, 13, 13, 40 ppb, respectively, for a 100‐m̈l sample volume.