Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Air handling in clean laboratory environments: the reason for anomalously high boron background levels

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The isotopic analysis of boron from material that carries only trace amounts of boron requires low boron blank levels. Large efforts are taken to keep blank levels low by purifying reagents. We performed exposure experiments and determined procedure blanks before and after the air-handling system was modified from silicate glass filters to polyethylene/polystyrole and active carbon filters. Our investigations demonstrate that the air-handling system may be the major source of boron blank in many laboratories, as the widely used silicate glass filters, which contain boron as a major component, in the form of borax and boric acid, release significant amounts of boron to the air.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Palmer MR, Swihart GH (1996) Rev Miner Geochem 33:845–862

    Google Scholar 

  2. http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/boron/120400.pdf

  3. Leeman WP, Vocke RD, Beary ES, Paulsen PJ (1991) Geochim Cosmochim Acta 55:3901–3907

    Google Scholar 

  4. Horrocks AR, Price D (2001) Fire retardant materials. Woodhead Publishing, ISBN 1 85573 419 2, p 429

  5. Tonarini S, Pennisi M, Leeman WP (1997) Chem Geol 142:129–137

    Google Scholar 

  6. Nakamura E, Ishikawa T, Birck J-L, Allègre CJ (1992) Chem Geol 94:193–204

    Google Scholar 

  7. Kasemann S, Meixner A, Rocholl A, Vennemann T, Rosner M, Schmitt A, Wiedenbeck M (2001) Geostand Newslett 25:405–416

    Google Scholar 

  8. Rosner M, Meixner A (2004) Geostand Geoanal Res 28:431–441

    Google Scholar 

  9. Rosner M (2003) PhD thesis, University Potsdam http://pub.ub.uni-potsdam.de/volltexte/2005/92/pdf/rosner.pdf, 104pp

  10. Catanzaro EJ, Champion CE, Garner EL, Marinenko G, Sappenfield KM, Shields WR (1970) US National Bureau of Standards Spec Publ 260(17):70

    Google Scholar 

  11. Leeman WP, Tonarini S (2001) Geostand Newslett 25:399–403

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

M. Rosner is grateful to Alfred Schneider and Bent T. Hansen for discussions about possible boron blank sources during the early stage of this investigation.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam, 14473, Potsdam, Germany

    Martin Rosner, Rolf L. Romer & Anette Meixner

Authors
  1. Martin Rosner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Rolf L. Romer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Anette Meixner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Martin Rosner.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Rosner, M., Romer, R.L. & Meixner, A. Air handling in clean laboratory environments: the reason for anomalously high boron background levels. Anal Bioanal Chem 382, 120–124 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-005-3170-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-005-3170-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation