Comparison of four microwave digestion methods for the determination of selenium in fish tissue by using hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry

Abstract

Four microwave digestion methods of fish tissue for selenium determination by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry were compared, in which potassium hexacyanoferrate(III) was chosen as a masking agent for eliminating matrix interferences. The results showed that the methods employing HNO3/H2O2, HNO3/K2S2O8/H2O2 and HNO3/H3PO4/H2O2 digestion media were unreliable. However, the decomposition using the digestion media of HNO3/H2SO4/H2O2 enabled adequate digestion of fish tissue and retention of selenium in a state amenable for determination. Therefore, the digestion procedures with HNO3/H2SO4/H2O2 media are proposed for the determination of selenium in fish tissue by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry. The recoveries of the spiked samples investigated ranged from 90 to 102%. The result obtained from analyzing the NIES CRM No. 6 mussel was in good agreement with the reference value (reference value: 1.5 μg/g; found: 1.45 ± 0.05 μg/g). The limit of detection for selenium was 0.03 μg/g dry mass for a 100 mg sample. The contents of selenium in local fish species investigated ranged from 0.49 to 2.90 μg/g, and the relative standard deviation for the determination of selenium was less than 8%. © 1994.