Determination of Rubidium and Cesium in Chloride Type Oilfield Water by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

Flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) was applied to the determination of rubidium and cesium in chloride type oilfield water by considering the interferences of the coexistent K+, Na+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ ions. Standard curve method and standard addition method were compared in the determination of rubidium and cesium in the simulated oilfield water and the real oilfield water from the Nanyishan region in Qaidam Basin. Although rubidium and cesium have similar physical-chemical properties, they present different characters during their analyses using the FAAS technique. When the standard addition method was used for the determination of rubidium, and cesium in the simulated oilfield water, the results of rubidium were very poor, whereas the results of cesium were satisfactory. When the standard curve method was used for the determination of rubidium and cesium in the simulated oilfield water, the results of both rubidium and cesium were satisfactory within the linear ranges of the standard curves. For the real oilfield water, standard addition method is also only applicable for the determination of cesium with a recovery ranging from 90% to 110%. While standard curve method is applicable for the determination of both rubidium. and cesium with a recovery ranging from 90% to 110%.