Determination of Cu and Mn in Seawater by High-Resolution Continuum Source Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

The conditions for the determination of copper and manganese in seawater by high-resolution continuum-source graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (HR-CS GFAAS) were optimized. The analytical properties were compared with those of low-resolution line source GFAAS (LR-LS GFAAS). The metrological characteristics were estimated considering the dilution of the sample and optimization of the temperature program of the electrothermal atomizer. Using HR-CS GFAAS, the elements were determined in undiluted samples, while LR-LS GFAAS allows the determination only at double dilution. The lower limits of determined Cu concentrations almost coincided for both versions of GFAAS. For manganese, the limits of detection and quantification were significantly lower for HR-CS GFAAS. Calibration curves were plotted using standard solutions. The proposed scheme was tested on water samples from the Sea of Okhotsk by standard addition. The detection limits (LODs) were 0.6 mu g L-1 for copper and 0.07 mu g L-1 for manganese by HR-CS GFAAS and 0.5 mu g L-1 for copper and 0.13 mu g L-1 for manganese by LR-LS GFAAS.

Automated summary

The study compared the determination characteristics of copper and manganese in seawater by high-resolution continuum-source and low-resolution line-source graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. HR-CS GFAAS can determine elements in undiluted samples, while LR-LS GFAAS only allows determination at double dilution. The detection and quantification limits for manganese were significantly lower in HR-CS GFAAS.