Determination of trace elements in coal by an oxygen bomb combustion/atomic absorption spectrophotometric method

A rapid analytical method has been developed for the determination of such trace elements as beryllium, chromium, copper, lead, manganese, nickel, vanadium and zinc in coal. Coal is combusted in the standard Parr oxygen bomb. When contamination from the bomb wall occurs, the bomb is equipped with a quartz liner. The trace metals in the residue from combustion are determined by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The method has been evaluated on a series of coals, including three National Bureau of Standards Standard Reference Materials (NBS-SRMs). Comparison of this method and the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Standard Test Method D 3683 demonstrated that accurate and precise results can be obtained when coal samples are prepared in the Parr oxygen bomb. Sample preparation time is greatly reduced over normal ashing procedures.