Abstract
Rock digestion methods, including lithium metaborate fusion and three microwave digestion procedures, are evaluated for the analysis of the rare earth elements (REEs) and 42 other trace elements in samples of Paleozoic carbonate, Paleozoic quartzite and shale from southern Nevada, and the U.S. Geological Survey standard for diabase, W-2. The trace elements were determined in the dissolved rock samples by low resolution inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The lithium metaborate fusion method gave excellent recoveries of the REEs and most other trace elements for W-2. However, the method yielded relatively poor recoveries for some trace elements such as Cr, Zn, and Pb. Two of the three microwave digestion procedures performed better overall than the fusion method. Potential interference from the suspected major components (Si, Cl, Fe, Sr, and Ba) and interference of the light rare earth element oxides on the heavy REEs are discussed. Since the rock type may determine the chemical composition of the associated groundwater, the relative solubilities for the elements under study were approximated for a carbonate system by water-rock concentration ratios.
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Guo, C., Stetzenbach, K.J., Hodge, V.F. (2005). Determination of 56 Trace Elements in Three Aquifer- Type Rocks by ICP-MS and Approximation of the Relative Solubilities for These Elements in a Carbonate System by Water-Rock Concentration Ratios. In: Johannesson, K.H. (eds) Rare Earth Elements in Groundwater Flow Systems. Water Science and Technology Library, vol 51. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-3234-X_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-3234-X_2
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