Determination of platinum and palladium in environmental samples by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry after separation on dithizone sorbent

A graphite furnace atomic absorption method of platinum and palladium determination after their separation from environmental samples has been presented. The samples were digested by aqua regia and the analyte elements were separated on the dithizone sorbent. The procedure of sorbent preparation was described and their properties were established. Two various procedures of elution by thiourea and concentrated nitric acid were described and discussed. The low limit of detection was established as 1 ng g(-1) for platinum and 0.2 ng g(-1) for palladium. There was also investigated the behaviour of platinum and palladium introduced into the soil in various chemical forms. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.