Inductively coupled plasma compared with direct current arc spectrometry for analysis of minor elements in aluminium baths.

A validation study was carried out in order to evaluate the efficiency of inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) for the analysis of minor elements (manganese, chromium, copper, iron, and titanium) in aluminium alloys. Aluminium casting samples were obtained by adding compressed powder compacts of each alloying element and aluminium (minitablets) to aluminum baths in a laboratory crucible furnace. Digestion of solid samples was performed using concentrated HCI and H202 35% (v/v) previous to analysis by ICP-OES without any matrix separation. This solution-based method was validated considering direct current arc spectrometry as the reference method based on direct analysis without any pretreatment of the solid samples considered. Univariate statistical procedures were carried out, for which precision <3% and trueness of the analytical results were taken into account.

Validation of the thermodynamic model of inorganic arsenic in non polluted river waters of the Basque country (Spain).

The thermodynamic model of inorganic arsenic was validated by comparing the predicted As(III) concentration with the experimentally determined one in several river waters samples of the Basque Country (Spain) collected in two sampling campaigns: spring and autumn 2000. This model takes into account the acid-base equilibria of As(III) and As(V) together with the redox equilibria between the H(3)AsO(3) and H(3)AsO(4) species. A correct prediction of As(III) concentration requires the knowledge of the total concentration of arsenic, pH, redox potential (referred to hydrogen electrode), and ionic strength values of the solution. The estimation of the activity coefficients of the arsenic species was performed by means of the Modified Bromley's Methodology (MBM). In order to perform the experimental As(III) determination, an analytical method was implemented by using an ion exchange separation of As(III)/As(V) on a continuous FIA-IE-HG-AAS system. The total arsenic concentration was determined together with total concentration of the main alkaline or alkaline-earth metals and anions in the natural waters. Temperature compensated measurements of the pH and redox potentials were made in-situ at the sampling sites. For both seasonal campaigns, the agreement between predicted and experimental As(III) is really high for those samples belonging to non polluted river waters.

The thermodynamic model of inorganic arsenic species in aqueous solutions Potentiometric study of the hydrolitic equilibrium of arsenic acid.

Protonation constants of arsenic acid were determined at different ionic strengths in NaClO(4) (0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 3.0 mol dm(-3)), NaCl (0.5 and 1.0 mol dm(-3)) and KCl (0.5, 1.0 and 3.0 mol dm(-3)) ionic media by means of a potentiometric study. The distribution of arsenate species was defined depending on two important variables in natural environments: pH and composition. All the experimentation was performed at 25 degrees C. The differences found in the protonation constants for different medium compositions, were explained by the different behaviour of the interaction parameters of the species considered in the different media and ionic strengths. These parameters were reported for all hydrolitic As(V) species and were calculated using the Modified Bromley's Methodology (MBM). The corresponding thermodynamic stepwise formation constants were also determined (log degrees K(1)=11.58+/-0.01, log degrees K(2)=7.06+/-0.01, log degrees K(3)=2.25+/-0.01). All the results obtained showed not only the importance of the ionic strength but also of the composition of the ionic medium on the distribution of the acid-base species of As(V) as a function of pH in natural waters.