cadmium determination

[tostelove]

i am a biologist but i would like to determine the content of cadmium and arsenic in onion bulbs using the AA spectophotometeric method...My main problem is digesting the onion bulbs.

i would not mind getting any useful information or procedure.

 

thanks

[John Cuthber]

I also have difficulty with digesting onions- so I try not to eat them.

On a less silly note, you may find this sort of thing helpful.

http://www.ivstandards.com/tech/reliability/part14.asp

 

If you can dry the onions first it might help. Then you should be able to wet ash them (which might lose some arsenic) or just dissolve them in hot nitric acid.

Is there someone there who usually uses the AA machine, and can you ask them for help.