Effect of the Surfactants on Atomization Efficiency of Lead Zinc Mineral Powder Suspension Determined by Atomic Spectrometry

Suspension sampling Atomic Spectrometry is a developing green analytical method, due to the fact that there is a reduction in the sample pretreatment process and that the use of acid and alkali reagents is avoided, which would otherwised result in environmental pollution. The surface tension of suspension, including polyacrylic acid sodium, polyethylene oxide, sodium hexametaphoshpate and sodium citrate mixed with lead zinc mineral powder, was detected by a surface tension instrument. Simultaneously, the atomization efficiency was evaluated and optimized using atomizer in Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (FAAS). The atomization efficiency of the aqueous solution and dispersants was enhanced with the increasing surfactants. The atomization efficiency was achieved using the maximum at specific concentration of surfactants. Different surfactants have different variation tendencies. The suspension prepared by polyethylene oxide with 2 g/L surfactant has the highest atomization efficiency. However, the suspension prepared by sodium polyacrylate with 5 g/L surfactant has higher atomization efficiency, which can even reach 20%, indicating that the surfactants can improve the stability of suspension and atomization efficiency and could be applied during analysis by Atomic Spectroscopy.