AN APPROACH TO ICP ANALYSIS OF GEOLOGICAL SAMPLES

In recents years there as been an increase in applications using ICP analysis. In the geological field this techniques is if great interest not only for its analytical speed and lack of chemical interferences but also for the ability to detect refractory metals and rare earths at levels usually not achieved by atomic absorption. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the ICP technique in geological analysis for precision and accuracy, real time for routine running of samples. In a pool of six rock samples, including the international standard BCR, the determination of six elements (Ba, Er, Eu, La, Y, Zr) was chosen as basis for evalutation of the ICP technique. The sample dissolution procedure employed has been proven effective in our laboratory. It should be noted that boric acid is no longer necessary, since the sample introduction device is resistant to HF.