Selenium determination in bovine liver by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrophotometry

Abstract

The determination of selenium (Se) in bovine liver requires a sensitive method due to the low content of this element in such tissue. The hydride generation-atomic absorption technique responds to this requirement, and is also recognized for its, simplicity and acctiracy. The sample dissolution is required. The organic matrix must be completely destroyed, but without analyte losses. In this work, a simple procedure for the Se determination in bovine liver is presented: a 10:1 nitrie-percloric (mixture) is added to 10 mg of the powdered and dried sample, in quartz open tubes. The mixture is allowed to stand ovemight and then heated, stepwise, to 140^oC (60') and 210^oC. Selenium was deterinined in the resulting solution by hydride-generation-AAS. The detection limit of the whole analytical procedure was 0,5 ng (n=10, k=3). A very good concordance between found and certified values was observed in the analysis of a standard reference material - NIST 1577a, bovine liver. The procedure permitted the deterinination of Se concentration above 0, 1 mg/g in the dried material.