Titanium as a chemical modifier for the determination of cobalt in marine sediments

The determination of cobalt in marine sediments by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry was studied using no modifier and magnesium and titanium as modifiers. Titanium is one of the major sediment constituents, which widely affects the cobalt determination and it was studied as a chemical modifier since it was the only concomitant that increased the cobalt signal in the concentration range usually found in sediments. The performance of Mg and Ti as chemical modifiers was compared relative to maximum pyrolysis and atomization temperatures, linear calibration range, sensitivity and matrix effects. The pyrolysis curves showed that the analyte could be stabilized up to 1400 degreesC when either Ti or Mg(NO3)(2) was present, while only 1000 degreesC could be used in the absence of a modifier. The optimum atomization temperature was 2500 degreesC in all cases. Analytical curves were compared using no modifier, 5 mug Ti and 100 mug Mg(NO3)(2) as modifiers, and the linear range found was up to approximately 4 ng Co whether a modifier was used or not. With Ti as a chemical modifier, analytical curves for cobalt in aqueous solution and in a synthetic matrix resulted in the same sensitivity (m(0) = 55 pg), whereas the use of Mg led to characteristic mass values of 59 and 72 pg in aqueous solution and in a synthetic matrix, respectively, showing some matrix effect. The detection limits (3sigma, n=10) were 0.4 mug g(-1) using no modifier and 0.3 mug g(-1) with Ti as a modifier in the original matrix. A reference estuarine sediment NIST 1646 with a non-certified content of 10.5 mug g(-1) Co was analyzed and the found value of 10.9+/-2.4 mug g(-1), (n = 3), using Ti as chemical modifier and calibration against aqueous standards, was in good agreement with the recommended value. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.