[Determination of trace barium in soil and sediment by Zeeman graphite AAS with coated graphite tube].

The sample was decomposed by HNO3-HF-HClO4. Using a tungsten-coated graphite tube, trace barium in soil and sediment was determined by Zeeman graphite AAS. To avoid producing carbide, the graphite tube was coated with tungsten. Tungsten and carbon in the surface layer of graphite tube became tungsten carbide. Tungsten carbide prevented barium and carbon from forming barium carbide, which in turn not only led to a long service life for the tube, but also increased greatly the sensitivity and precision of the determination Ba. Tungsten carbide belongs to internal filled type and can give reduction environment. To some extent, the common interfering elements co-existing in the soil and sediment had little chance to form oxides to interfere the determination of Ba in the atomization period. The method was easy and sensitive. The detection limit of Ba was 4.2 x 10(-10) g x g(-1). The relative standard deviation (RSD) was in the range of 2.0%-6.5% (n = 4). The relative deviations from the certificated values of standard soils were under 5%.