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Low-blank digestion of geological samples for platinum-group element analysis using a modified Carius Tube design

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Abstract

We have developed a modified Carius Tube design that permits the low-blank digestion of geological samples prior to platinum-group element analysis. The new Carius Tubes incorporate a liner of high-purity quartz glass that retains the sample and acids during the digestion procedure. This dramatically reduces the comparatively high Pt blank associated with dissolutions in conventional Carius Tubes. Using the new Carius Tube design we are able to achieve total procedural blanks for the determination of the PGE in geological samples that are at the 1–15 pg/g level for Ru, Pd, Ir and Pt. This constitutes a reduction of blank values by a factor of ∼10–100 compared to standard NiS fire assay sample preparation techniques.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geological Sciences, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1063, USA e-mail: markrehk@umich.edu, , , , , , US

    M. Rehkämper & Alex N. Halliday

  2. Department of Chemistry, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1055, USA, , , , , , US

    Roy F. Wentz

Authors
  1. M. Rehkämper
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  2. Alex N. Halliday
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  3. Roy F. Wentz
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Received: 23 September 1997 / Revised: 24 October 1997 / Accepted: 31 October 1997

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Rehkämper, M., Halliday, A. & Wentz, R. Low-blank digestion of geological samples for platinum-group element analysis using a modified Carius Tube design. Fresenius J Anal Chem 361, 217–219 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/s002160050866

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s002160050866

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