Determinaton of silver by atom trapping-atomic absorption spectrometry method and its application to drinking waters

Silver and its compounds are used in dilute silver nitrate solutions (AgNO3) , photographic film, mirrors, optics, as a catalyst, as an antiseptic, as disinfectants and microbiocides. Silver is use in high-capacity zinc long-life batteries. In addition, silver can be alloyed with mercury to make amalgams that are widely used for dental fillings. So, silver is an important and precious element. We chose silver for our study because of its features. The detection of metals is a constantly used Flame Atomic Absortion Spectrometry (FAAS) method. In the recent years atom trapping have been improved to increase sensitive of tecnique. The detection limit of FAAS technique was reduced to ng/mL level through the agency of atom trapping while it was mg/mL. Slotted of Quartz Tube (SQT) is one of these atom trappings. In this study, a sensitive method was developed by using SQT for determination of silver by FAAS method. SQT was used five different ways for this thesis. The first step of analysis was carried out directly by FAAS. Secondly, SQT as apparatus installed to the FAAS. It was aimed to increase stay time of silver atoms in the atomization region, it was observed about 3,45times increase in sensitivity. SQT-AT-FAAS analysis was carried out in the third step. In this step, analyte atoms are collected on the SQT surface in a certain time. Then the low volume of methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) sent to the analyte atoms in SQT surface are rapidly removed from of is provided. The optimum parameters were obtained. In the fourth step, some of the metals is covered with SQT surface. The highest absorbance value was obtained with coated tungsten. W coated SQT-AT-FAAS is higher sensitivity than the others. In addition, acetylene flow rate and sample flow rate at each step are optimized parameters such as acid concentration. Interfer studies were carried out in the fifth step. The accuracy of the system's 1643 National-Institute of Standard & Technolgy was checked with standard reference material. The commercial drinking waters are purchased from markets in Turkey and its were analyzed by these methods. The results of analysis compared with the World Health Organization (WHO), in 1999 the European Union (EC) 1998 and the Turkish Standards Institute (TSE) 266/2005. Analysis results of the silver values of the waters were found to be within the limit values.