The goal of this research has been to enhance vapor generation techniques for atomic spectrometry--particularly for atomic absorption spectrometry--through more fundamental examinations of gas-liquid separation processes, expansion of flow injection vapor generation's usefulness through the development and improvement of specific applications, and examination of how flow injection vapor generation's capabilities can be extended through gas-phase preconcentration in hydride generation and examination of generating alternative metal vapors from volatile metal chelates. Gas-liquid separation efficiency for a commercially available flow injection vapor generation apparatus was determined via mercury cold vapor generation with amalgam concentration of the mercury vapor. The efficiency obtained, combined with efficiency information obtained by other investigators of flow injection-hydride generation, demonstrated that the apparatus achieves virtually complete separation for mercury vapor and the hydride-forming elements. This highly efficient vapor generation apparatus was then used for the development of specific applications. Determinations of arsenic in highly interfering transition metal matrices, on-line decomposition of organomercury species prior to mercury cold vapor generation, and on-line pre-reduction of arsenic following species-selective pretreatment of urine samples have all been developed. The capabilities of flow injection vapor generation were also extended in this work. Peltier coolers were used to preconcentrate stibine vapor (SbH$\sb3)$ prior to detection, leading to enhanced sensitivity for antimony. Volatile metal chelates were also synthesized on-line--particularly Cu(trifluoroacetylacetone)$\sb2$--in an attempt to extend the range of elements determinable by flow injection vapor generation.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UMASS/oai:scholarworks.umass.edu:dissertations-8612 |
| Date | 01 January 1993 |
| Creators | Hanna, Christopher Paul |
| Publisher | ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst |
| Source Sets | University of Massachusetts, Amherst |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Source | Doctoral Dissertations Available from Proquest |
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