A novel approach for an automated liquid/liquid extraction system--principle and application for the determination of several trace contaminants in highly alloyed steels and base alloys.

A novel automated liquid/liquid extraction system was developed for the determination of trace contaminants in unalloyed, alloyed and highly alloyed steels and super alloys. In the presented batch extraction system the aqueous phase and the non-water miscible organic phase were brought into close phase contact by high-speed stirring with a magnetic stir bar. Iodide complexes of Ag, Bi, Cd, Pb, Sb, Sn, Tl, and Zn were extracted from aqueous steel digests into 4-methylpentan-2-one (MIBK) containing 20 g L(-1) trioctylphosphine oxide. Ag, Bi, Cd, Pb, and Tl were extracted quantitatively whereas the extraction yields of Sb, Sn, and Zn were 83%, 61% and 75% respectively. Using high resolution continuum source flame AAS (HR-CS-FAAS) for analyte quantification the method was validated using 21 certified steel reference materials (CRMs).