A study of the ditiophosphoric acid diacylester as a masking agent for the determination of bismuth in the presence of copper by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry

The masking action of the dithiophosphoric acid diacylester (DDTP) for the determination of Bi by hydride generation absorption spectrometry (HGAAS) in the presence of high concentrations of copper was studied. Cu/Bi ratios up to 50×103 were found to be tolerable in the presence of 2×10−3 M chelating solutions in 10% HCl, using 1.5% NaBH4 as reductant. Good agreement between the certified values and those found in the present study was verified in the analysis of certified reference materials.