This thesis focuses on developing a new method to measure trace tellurium (Te) in
different environmental samples such as lake waters, mine tailings and sediments. The developed
technique is based on Hydride Generation Atomic Fluorescence Spectroscopy (HG-AFS), a
technique that can measure low concentration of Te and also allows for Te speciation at low cost
and high efficiency in various environmental samples.
To validate the method that could be used to determine Te speciation in various types of
environmental samples, a series of tests has been designed for finding the best conditions to
measure Te(IV) using HG-AFS and obtain accurate and reliable results. Those tests include the
stability of the signal, the acidity of the solution, the volatility of Te after digestion of solids, the
reduction from Te(VI) to Te(IV), the detection limit of the technique, and the validity of two
digestion methods under the optimum (HG-AFS) instrumental settings.
An interference study including the most common elements in the Earth’s crust such as
(Ni, Fe, Pb, Cr, Cu, Co, Zn, Mn and Mo) was also performed. The results of this study showed
that Cu(II) can severely interfere with Te quantification decreasing the Te signal to almost zero.
Therefore, different masking agents such as 8-hydroxyquinoline, 1,10-phenanthroline, urea and
thiourea were tested to reduce and eliminate this interference.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:OSUL.10219/2133 |
| Date | 27 January 2014 |
| Creators | Alzahrani, Ali |
| Publisher | Laurentian University of Sudbury |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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