Application of microwave digestion to trace organoelement determination in water samples Original Research Article

Microwave digestion is a powerful tool for converting various types of samples into a solution ready for instrumental measurement. In trace analysis for heavy metals in water and waste water it may show some limitations due to the comparatively high dilution of the digestion reagent by the water sample itself. This is proved in this study with organically bound elements to be analyzed, after digestion, by cold vapor or hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry, because these techniques require the elements to be completely mineralized.