COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF SILICA GLASS PRODUCTION USING ICP-MS AND ICP-AES METHODS

Abstract

Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) methods were used for determination of aluminium, iron and titanium in silica glass and quartz samples. Results gave by these methods are compared with those obtained for iron and titanium by adsorptive stripping voltammetry (AdSV) and for aluminium by spectrophotometry. Comparison of the usefulness of ICP-MS and ICP-AES methods for control of silica glass production is shown. A decomposition procedure for silica glass and quartz samples which can be applied to spectrometry as well as electrochemistry is proposed. This procedure relies on using nitric and hydrofluoric acids mixture with subsequent removal of fluoride ions by evaporation to dryness. The sedimenting dust was found to be a possible contamination source of iron during the silica glass production. Iron in sedimenting dust was measured using spectrophotometry and flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). Obtained results were validated using certified reference materials (CRM): high purity quartz (BSiO₂) and fine fly ash (CTA-FFA-1).

Keywords:

• Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry
• Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry
• Aluminium
• Iron
• Titanium
• Quartz
• Silica glass

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

One of the authors (M.G.) would like to thank for grant according to ‘Tempus’ program.