Determination of Copper Trace in Steel by Direct Method Using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry

DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.13005/msri/040112

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The trace concentrations of copper in several British steel samples and standards have been investigated in this research by direct method using hydrochloric and nitric acid mixture, and sulphuric acid, Phosphoric acid and water mixture. Three standard steels containing copper in the range of 0.13% - 0.39% were used. These were low alloy steel B.C.S. No. 257/1 (0.13% Cu), carbon steel B.C.S. No. 239/2 (0.18% Cu) and alloy steel B.C.S. No. 253/1 (0.39% Cu). The dissolution procedure of steels, led to a solution which was analysed directly by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Absorption due to copper was measured at 324.8 nm by atomizing the solution in a 10 cm slot burner using an air-acetylene flame with air flow rate 5.2 L/min and acetylene flow rate 1.2 L/min and operating the hollow cathode lamp at 5 mA. Burner height was set at point 6. The appropriate calibration solutions were aspirated, followed by the sample solutions. Water was aspirated between each test when the zero was checked. The copper content of the sample solutions were read from the calibration graphs. The absorption of each solution measured at least three times. The results obtained in this research for copper content of steel samples indicate that a mixture of hydrochloric and nitric acids is to be preferred as the solvent medium, especially when iron is added to the standard solutions, when the copper contents found are near to the certificate values.

Copper; copper trace; steel; direct method; atomic absorption spectrophotometry