Determination of gallium in pure aluminum by isotope dilution analysis with solvent extraction using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Isotope dilution analysis with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was applied to the determination of gallium in pure aluminum. Furthermore, a solvent extraction procedure was combined with isotope dilution analysis as a preconcentration technique in order to determine ultra-trace levels of gallium with high precision. The accuracy and the precision of isotope dilution analysis using ICP-MS were compared with those of conventional standard addition analysis using ICP-MS. Isotope dilution analysis gave more accurate and precise results than did standard addition analysis. Isotope dilution analysis with solvent extraction made it possible to measure 0.029 μg/g gallium in 99.999% aluminum with analytical errors at less than 3%.