Determination of trace elements in environmental and biological samples using improved sample introduction in flame atomic absorption spectrometry (HHPN-AAS;: HHPN-FF-AAS)

Two high performance flow atomic absorption (HPF-AAS) related techniques were chosen to assess their suitability for the determination of several trace elements in complex environmental and biological samples. The technique selected were the Hydraulic High Pressure Nebulization Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (HHPN-AAS), and the Hydraulic High Pressure Nebulization Flame Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (HHPN-FF-AAS), which were applied directly, or after using off line liquid-liquid separation-preconcentration-back extraction procedures. Analytical methodologies were developed for Be, Sr, Ba, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Mo, Cd, Ag, Al, Tl, Pb, and Bi, for a variety of samples such as river and seawater, river and marine sediments, soft tissue of mussels, tunicate siphons, aquatic plants, and human samples of clinical interest such as placentas, umbilical cords, and cardiovascular tissues from surgical procedures. The analytical efficiency of the techniques was also proved in a proposed trace metal fractionation approach for river and seawater samples. All samples collected in this work were obtained from the North of Chile, where the most important economic activity is the mining industry.