Development of a FI-HG-ICP-OES solid phase preconcentration system for inorganic selenium speciation in Argentinean beverages.

A preconcentration system has been developed to determine inorganic selenium species. Selenium was retained by a column filled with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) with lanthanum hydroxide co-precipitation. Speciation was achieved by selective photoreduction previous Se preconcentration. The retention pH was optimized at 10.0. Two multivariate calibrations and a central composite design were employed for optimization of the system. Sample, reagents and acid flow rates are significant variables affecting the system. Employing HG-ICP-OES as detection, the optimized system reached a detection limit of 0.03µg/L, and an enhancement factor of 14875 (25 for preconcentration system, 595 for hydride generation). To verify the method' accuracy, two certified reference materials, BCR® 414 Plankton & IRMM-804 Rice Flour, were analysed. The system was applied to inorganic selenium speciation in several Argentinean beverages to estimate their selenium contribution to diet.

Preconcentration and determination of tellurium in garlic samples by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry.

A procedure for the determination of traces of total tellurium (Te) in garlic (Allium sativa) is described that combines hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry with preconcentration of the analyte by coprecipitation. The samples, each spiked with lanthanum nitrate (20 mg/L), are introduced into an Amberlite XAD-4 resin and mixed with ammonium buffer (pH 9.1). Te is preconcentrated by coprecipitation with the generated lanthanum hydroxide precipitate. The precipitate is quantitatively collected in the resin, eluted with hydrochloric acid, and then transferred into the atomizer device. Considering a sample consumption of 25 mL, an enrichment factor of 10 was obtained. The detection limit (3sigma) was 0.03 microg/L, and the precision (relative standard deviation) was 3.5% (n = 10) at the 10 microg/L level. The calibration graph using the preconcentration system for Te was linear with a correlation coefficient of 0.9993. Satisfactory results were obtained for the analysis of Te in garlic samples.