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Cold vapor generation of Zn based on dielectric barrier discharge induced plasma chemical process for the determination of water samples by atomic fluorescence spectrometry

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Abstract

A new plasma chemical vapor generation (plasma-CVG) method for Zn was developed by dielectric barrier discharge (DBD). The dissolved Zn ions was readily converted to volatile species by DBD plasma in the presence of hydrogen and then, the generated Zn vapor, Zn0, was detected by cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry (AFS). It eliminated the use of unstable tetrahydroborate-reducing reagent and high-purity acids. The operating conditions for the DBD plasma-CVG system were optimized for the efficient vapor generation of Zn. In addition, possible interferences from coexisting ions on the plasma-CVG of Zn were also examined. No appreciable matrix interference was found from most of the examined ions at concentration of 1 mg L−1. However, severe depression of the Zn vapor generation efficiency was observed in the presence of ions at 10 mg L−1. Under the optimal conditions, the limit of detection (LOD) was calculated to be 0.2 μg L−1; good repeatability (relative standard deviation (RSD) = 2.6 %, n = 11) was obtained for a 20 Zn μg L−1 standard. The accuracy of the proposed method was validated though analysis of Zn in reference material of simulated natural water sample GSB07-1184-2000 and the determined result was in good agreement with the reference value. The proposed method has also been successfully applied to the determination of Zn in Changjiang River water, Wuhan East Lake water, and Wuhan tap water samples. It provides an alternative green vapor generation method for Zn.

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support from the National Nature Science Foundation of China (no. 41173018, no. 21375120), Special Program for Key Scientific Instrument of the Ministry of Science and Technology (no. 2011YQ06010008), the R&D Special Fund for Public Welfare Industry of Hubei province (2012DCA19001), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (CUG120117, CUG120502), State Key Lab of Biogeology and Environmental Geology (GBL11309), and China University of Geosciences (Wuhan).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, 430074, China

    Zhenli Zhu, Wei Guo & Shenghong Hu

  2. Faculty of Material Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, 430074, China

    Lu Liu, Yixiao Li & Huan Peng

  3. Faculty of Earth Science, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, 430074, China

    Zhifu Liu

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  1. Zhenli Zhu
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  2. Lu Liu
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  3. Yixiao Li
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Correspondence to Zhenli Zhu.

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Published in the topical collection Emerging Concepts and Strategies in Analytical Glow Discharges with guest editors Rosario Pereiro and Steven Ray.

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Zhu, Z., Liu, L., Li, Y. et al. Cold vapor generation of Zn based on dielectric barrier discharge induced plasma chemical process for the determination of water samples by atomic fluorescence spectrometry. Anal Bioanal Chem 406, 7523–7531 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-014-7911-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-014-7911-8

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