Highly sensitive beryllium detection with microwave plasma source atomic emission spectrometry Original Research Article

A highly sensitive technique for beryllium determination using microwave induced plasma atomic emission spectrometry (MIP-AES) is explored in this work based on a self-assembled instrumental system. The analytical performance of this system for beryllium determination was examined using argon as working gas and an ultrasonic nebulization–desolvation system for solution sample introduction. Experimental operating parameters, such as working gas flow rate, microwave power, and observation height were optimized during the system characterization. Influence of matrix elements on beryllium determination was studied. The matrix elements, such as Cu and Ni, were found to have little influence on Be(I) 265.06 nm spectral line even at a concentration of 50 μg ml−1, which is 1000 times higher than that of beryllium. Short-term stability of the MIP-AES system was evaluated and a relative standard deviation of 1.8% is achieved. A calibration range of five orders of magnitude for beryllium determination could be obtained with its multiple spectral lines. The detection limits of Be(II) 313.04/313.11, and Be(I) 234.86 nm were calculated based on 3σ using 1% HNO3 blank solution and shown to be in parts per trillion level.