Analytix has published a technical note comparing recoveries of three certified reference environmental materials using two different rotors with a Milestone Ethos UP microwave digestion system.
Demand for trace metal analysis in environmental laboratories has grown as regulations tighten. The resulting need to measure at lower levels has led to increased transition to ICP-MS, placing emphasis on the sample preparation method.
Two traditional sample preparation methods are hot-block and closed vessel microwave digestion. Hot block digestions can be affected by long run times, poor quality, and poor recovery of volatile compounds. Closed vessel microwave digestion has proven to be an effective technique with fast, complete digestions, cleaner operating conditions, and full recovery of volatile compounds, and is included in US EPA methods 3015A, 3051A, and 3052.
The technical note compares recoveries of three certified reference environmental materials using a high pressure 15 place rotor, and a medium pressure 44 place rotor with a Milestone Ethos UP microwave digestion system. The Ethos UP system employed a contactless temperature sensor for both rotors and the high pressure 15 place rotor also featured Milestone patented ‘vent and reseal’ technology for controlling the internal pressure of each vessel.
The results showed full recovery of the elements reported in the material reference certificates coupled with low RSDs, demonstrating that the Ethos UP is fully compliant with the three EPA methods for environmental samples using both rotor systems. In addition, the digestions were completed in a fraction of the time of the hot-block method and used significantly less amounts of acids.
For a copy of the technical note or for further information visit https://www.analytix.co.uk/contact/ or call +44 (0) 191 519 4504
