Slurry sampling electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometric determination of copper in herbal medicine samples with a molybdenum tube atomizer

An ultrasonic slurry sampling electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometric method with a molybdenum tube atomizer has been developed for the determination of copper in herbal medicine samples. Glycerol solution (10%) was used as the slurry medium. The optimum pyrolysis temperature was 760 degreesC. The detection limit was 72 fg (3 x S/N ratio). Matrix element interference was investigated and it was found that glycerol as a chemical modifier eliminated the interference. The amounts of copper in herbal medicines determined by the method proposed are in good accordance with those measured in dissolved acid-digested samples. The method enables rapid calibration, and simple and rapid analysis of copper in herbal medicine samples at low cost. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.