Determination of Boron Using Headspace Liquid Phase Micro-Sublimation Coupled with Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry

Abstract

Trace boron in water and plant samples was preconcentrated by a novel headspace liquid phase micro-sublimation method, followed by determination by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy. Sodium hydroxide solution was used as the absorption solvent during the preconcentration step. The type and volume of absorption solvent, absorption time and temperature, and pH of the absorption solution and sample solution were optimized for the extraction. The linear range was from 0.1 to 80 µg/mL, with a relative standard deviation of 7.4%. The limit of detection based on a signal-to-noise ratio of three was 0.008 µg/mL. Under the optimized conditions, real water samples and plant samples were analyzed. The results showed this method can be applied for the determination of boron in environmental samples.

Keywords:

• Boron
• Determination
• Headspace liquid phase micro-sublimation
• Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry
• Water

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Program for Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 41072138 and 41172160), the Program for Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province, China (Grant No. ZR2010DM002), and the Knowledge Innovation Programs of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. KSCX2-EW-J-26).