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Nitric Acid Perchloric Acid Digestion of Solids
Nitric Acid Perchloric Acid Digestion of Solids
Overview
inorganic side of the table. The ability of nitric acid to react with Procedure
Microwave Digestion
alcohols and aromatic rings forming explosive compounds (nitro References
glycerine and TNT, to name two) calls for caution when using nitric Further Reading
acid alone or in combination with other reagents in the decomposition View as one page
The following are some key rules that I recommend when using nitric/perchloric acid
digestions:
1. Organic matrices should always be pre-treated with nitric acid (see exceptions above).
2. Perchloric acid should never be used alone.
3. Perchloric acid digestions should never be allowed to go to dryness.
4. Hot perchloric acid should never be added to an organic matrix.
5. Sample sizes should never exceed 1 gram (dry weight for biologicals).
6. Perchloric acid fumes should be not be allowed to 'go free' unless a perchloric acid
hood is used.
7. Unknown organic matrices should be analyzed by molecular spectroscopy to determine
primary structure before attempting the use of either nitric or perchloric acid.
Glassware Cleaning
1. The digestions' tubes and boiling beads are cleaned by heating in boiling 1:1 nitric acid
/ 18 meg-ohm water for at least 1 hour. After drying at 110 °C, the vessels and beads
are allowed to come to room temperature before use. Two boiling beads are added to
each vessel and it is capped with the Teflon lined screw on caps.
2. The digestion vessel caps and the volumetric glassware is cleaned by first sitting in 5 %
v/v nitric acid for 24 hours and then rinsed with 18 meg-ohm water a minimum of six
times. No heating of caps or volumetric glassware is allowed -- only air drying is
acceptable.
Further Reading
Part 13: Sample Preparation by Fusion
Trace Analysis Guide: Table of Contents
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