Separation and determination of trace inorganic germanium in β-carboxyethylgermanium sesquioxide by filtration chromatography and hydride generation-graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

A method has been proposed for the determination of trace (ng) inorganic germanium in β-carboxyethylgermanium sesquioxide (Ge-132) using hydride generation-graphite furnace AAS taking the advantage that Ge-132 was in the form that did not generate volatile hydride upon reduction. The analytical results obtained for Ge were checked by that obtained after separation from Ge-132 using filtration chromatography on a cation exchange column. The method was applied to the analysis of Ge-132 oral nutrition liquor; less than μgml−1 of inorganic Ge in Ge-132 can be determined.