This diploma thesis deals about determination of hazardous elements and their mobility in soils from Brno and Ostrava. For extraction of soil samples was used sequential extraction by Tessier and BCR sequential extraction. Extraction by nitric acid was also used. Mercury was determinated by the advanced mercury analyser AMA 254. Lead, copper and zinc were determinated by the flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Cadmium and vanadium were determinated by the electrotermic atomic absorption.

Capability of a prototype of miniature collection device based on a strip of the molybdenum foil for collecting hydride forming elements (As, Se, Sb and Bi) was studied. The device was combined with a miniature hydrogen diffusion flame for detection by atomic absorption spectrometry. The conditions for trapping and subsequent vaporization of analytes of interest were optimized. A twin-channel hydride generation system was used for study of mutual interference effects of co-generated hydride forming elements. The influence of modification of the molybdenum surface with noble metals - Rh, Pt and Ir on trapping and vaporization processes was also studied and changes of microstructure of the foil surface after modification were investigated using scanning electron microscope equipped with energy dispersive x-ray analyzer and electron backscattered diffraction system. Complementary radiotracer and radiography experiments were performed in order to determine trapping efficiency and to assess the spatial distribution of collected analytes within the device. Practical application of the method was demonstrated on determination of antimony in water samples at trace level. Possibility of multi-element analysis was demonstrated by combining the collection device with atomization and excitation of the analyte in microwave induced plasma and with detection by atomic emission spectrometry method. The results of the experiments proved that tested miniature collection device is capable of trapping analytes that form volatile hydrides. This device can be coupled to various types of atomizers, typically used in spectrometry methods. Thus, very sensitive and specific detection of hydride forming elements can be performed.

Rtuť je v přírodě přirozeně se vyskytujícím toxickým prvkem, jehož globální emise jsou ovlivňovány zejména antropogenními zdroji znečištění. Obrovský globální nárůst v usazování rtuti, zejména ve vodných ekosystémech, byl zaznamenán současně s počátkem průmyslové revoluce. Sedimenty jsou posledním místem úložiště nejrůznějších komplexů rtuti. Rtuť však zde může být přeměněna na toxičtější organickou formu, methylrtuť, pomocí transformačních procesů kontrolovaných různými fyzikálními, chemickými, ale i biologickými faktory. Navíc mohou být specie rtuti remobilizovány ze sedimentů pomocí difuze a resuspenzace a tak se sedimenty mohou stát i potenciálním zdrojem rtuti. Proces bioakumulace a bioobohacování tak pokračuje v potravním řetězci, ve kterém se člověk, i další zvířata, stává konzumentem methylrtuti. Stanovení celkové koncentrace rtuti není dostačující k porozumění osudu rtuti v přírodním prostředí a tak stanovení MeHg poskytuje nezbytnou doplňující informaci. Dostatečně citlivá a přesná analytická metoda pro stanovení specií rtuti je nezbytným nástrojem environmentální chemie. Metody vhodné pro stanovení specií rtuti v sedimentech jsou popsány v části metodologie disertační práce. Metoda stanovení methylrtuti v sedimentech pomocí automatické Headspace vybavené pastí („trap“) a spojené s plynovou chromatografií a fluorescenční detekcí je zde také popsána. Zvláštní pozornost je také věnována potřebám zásad čistého vzorkování, skladování vzorků a přípravě vzorků před samotou analýzou, jakož i samostatné části věnující se terénní studii rtuti a methylrtuti v sedimentech vytipovaných lokalit. Sedimenty jižní Moravy a severní Francie jsou srovnány z hlediska znečištění rtutí. Specie rtuti a další ukazatele (Fe, Mn, S) byly analyzovány v sedimentech, pórové vodě a povrchové vodě řek Dele a Lys (Francie) a Jihlava a Morava (Česká republika). Z hlediska posouzení vodních ekosystémů a jejich znečištění rtutí, je vhodné znát koncentraci rtuti v pórové vodě a posoudit dostupnost rtuti ze sedimentů. Technika difuzního gradientu v tenkém filmu je vhodným způsobem jak stanovit koncentraci rtuti v pórové vodě sedimentů. Do roku 2005 bylo použití této techniky pro měření rtuti značně limitováno. Ale nedávný pokrok především v dostupnosti možných sorpčních gelů vhodných pro stanovení rtuti umožnilo využití této techniky i pro stanovení rtuti. Byly použity různé sorpční gely: Spheron.Thiol, Duolite GT-73 a TiO2. Řeka Dele představuje past enormního množství antropogenní rtuti pocházející z průmyslových zdrojů a je považována za potenciální významný zdroj methylrtuti pro okolní prostředí a živé organismy především. Poslední část dizertační práce se zabývá aplikací dobře zavedeného experimentu využívajícím stabilní isotopy ke studiu metylačních a demethylačních procesů v sedimentech řeky Dele. Obohacené stabilní značkovače rtuti v anorganické formě (199Hg) and methylované formě (201MeHg) byly přidány do sedimentů. Tyto označené specie rtuti tak pomohly sledovat osud specií rtuti a vypočítat rozsah jejich přeměny v průběhu experimentu.

The mercury occurs in the environment in a variety of forms. Mercury compounds can be found in the soil, atmosphere, water and living organisms. Although some of the mercury substances are very toxic, they are often used in various sectors of industry, agriculture and medicine. Mercury compounds differ in their toxicity, so it is necessary to do speciation analysis. The aim of this diploma thesis was to develop and validate a new analytical method for the determination of mercury compounds in different samples. This method involves the combination of high performance liquid chromatography, UV-photochemical cold vapor mercury generation and atomic absorption spectrometry. Effective separation of mercury(II), methylmercury(I), ethylmercury(I) and phenylmercury(I) ions and subsequent comparable efficient of mercury cold vapor generation from all of forms was achieved using these techniques. The reached detection limits were 8 µg l-1 , 31 µg l-1 , 16 µg l-1 and 38 µg l-1 . At the end of experimental work, the proposed method of RP-HPLC-UV-CVG- QTAAS was used for the determination of mercury compounds in real samples (fish tissue and water samples: Labe, Vltava and tap water) and in certified reference materials (DORM-3 and DOLT-4). Several methods for extraction of mercury species from solid samples...

Atomization conditions for tin hydride in the planar dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma atomizer were optimized with detection by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). The effects of apparatus arrangement such as the shape of a waveform function of the high voltage power supply source, DBD atomizer design as well as presence of a dryer tube filled with NaOH pellets to prevent residual aerosol and moisture transport into the DBD were investigated in detail. The optimal experimental setup consisted of a square wave high voltage power supply source coupled to a DBD with vapor-deposited electrodes in the presence of NaOH dryer upstream the DBD atomizer. Argon was found as the best discharge gas under a flow rate of 120 mL min-1 while the DBD optimum high voltage supply rate was 7 kV. A sensitivity of 0.05 s ng-1 Sn and a limit of detection of 1.1 ng mL-1 Sn were reached under optimized conditions. Optimization of the whole experimental setup resulted in 7-fold improvement of sensitivity compared to the original arrangement consisting of a sinusoidal source coupled to a DBD atomizer with glued electrodes in absence of the dryer. Keywords atomic absorption spectrometry, hydride generation, hydride atomization, quart tube atomizer, dielectric barrier discharge (DBD)

(EN) The presented dissertation thesis summarizes the results contained in five original research papers that were published in prestigious international scientific journals in the field of analytical chemistry and atomic spectrometry. It is devoted to the method of generation of volatile compounds using a tetrahydroborate reaction and detection in a quartz multiatomizer by atomic absorption spectrometry. The thesis can be divided into two thematic parts - speciation analysis of arsenic based on hydride generation technique with collection and separation in a cryogenic trap and generation of volatile species of transition metals. In the first thematic part pre-reduction of pentavalent inorganic and methylated arsenicals has been studied. A simple setup for on-line pre-reduction employing thioglycolic acid as a fast pre-reductant has been developed, connected with a current hydride generator and applied/verified to oxidation state specific arsenic speciation analysis of human urine samples. In the same method the possibility of drying the gaseous phase from water vapor has been investigated to avoid incidental blocking the cryogenic trap by frozen water and to decrease fluctuations of signal baseline. Pronounced losses of methylated species have been discovered on Nafion tube dryer currently used in...

This diploma thesis is focused on the study of electrochemical generation volatile species of gold and silver. Two non-membrane electrolytic cells were constructed for electrochemical generation volatile species. These cells differ in the volume of electrode chamber. An atomic absorption spectrometry with quartz tube atomizer was used in most experiments. The equipment was performed in flow continuous mode. Experiments confirmed, that it is possible to use an atomic absorption spectrometry with quartz tube atomizer for generate volatile species of gold and silver by using two non-membrane electrolytic cells. The main part of this thesis was to find optimal conditions for the electrochemical generation of volatile species of gold and silver. These optimized parameters were: the cathode material, the type of electrolyte, the flow rate of the carrier gas, the generation current and the electrolyte flow rate. The calibration curves for both analytes were measured for both non-membrane electrolytic cells and the basic characteristics of the measurement were observed. Detection limit for electrochemical generation of gold was 1,61mg dm 3 and repeatability 3,93 %, detection limit for electrochemical generation of silver was 0,20 mg dm 3 and repeatability 7,33 %. Thanks to the experiments with a...

This thesis deals with the study of UV-photochemical generation of volatile compounds (UV-PVG) in connection with atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). Selenium (Se(IV)) was selected as a model analyte and many experiments were carried out to expand the current sum of knowledge of the topic. The study was commenced by assembling the UV-PVG apparatus in the continuous flow mode. The detection method used was AAS with externally heated quartz furnace atomizer. The focus of the first step of the study was on the construction of the volatile compounds generator (UV-photoreactor) with emphasis on the material used; tubes made of teflon or quartz of different diameters were tested. The construction of the apparatus was followed by optimization of the reaction conditions (the type and concentration of the photochemical agent and other agents, which increase the analytical signal; the carrier gas and the auxiliary hydrogen gas flow rate; the sample flow rate). Eventually, the analytical figures of merit of the selenium determination using the proposed method were found. The results showed that teflon reaction tubes are a good competitor to those made of quartz. The accuracy of the method has been successfully verified by analysis of certified reference material and its applicability has been further tested...