Determination of trace elements in twenty six Chinese geochemistry reference materials by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry

We report new data for thirty seven elements determined in twenty six Chinese geochemistry reference materials using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry and a reliable and simple dissolution technique. One hundred milligrams of sample were digested with 1 ml of HF and 0.5 mi of HNO3 in PTFE-lined stainless steel bombs heated to 200 degrees C for 12 hours. Insoluble residues were dissolved using 6 ml of 40% v/v HNO3 heated to 140 degrees C for 3 hours. Analytical calibration was accomplished using aqueous standard solutions. Rhodium was used as an internal standard to correct for matrix effects and instrument drift. Precisions were typically better than 5% RSD. Most of the data presented here agree well with the published certified valves. For the elements Zr, Hf and most other trace elements, the measured values were less than 10% in error when compared to certified values.