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Atomic absorption spectrometry was used with the method of standard additions to

ID: 887606 • Letter: A

Question

Atomic absorption spectrometry was used with the method of standard additions to determine the concentration of cadmium in a sample of an industrial waste stream. For the addition, 10.0 L of a 1000.0 g/mL Cd standard was added to 10.0 mL of solution. The following data were obtained: Absorbance of reagent blank = 0.040 Absorbance of sample = 0.330 Absorbance of sample plus addition = 0.752 What was the concentration of the cadmium in the waste stream sample?

Later, the analyst learned that the blank was not truly a reagent blank, but water. The absorbance of the actual reagent blank, was 0.084. Calculate the cadmium concentration using the new information of the blank.

Calculate the percent error caused by using water instead of the reagent blank.

Explanation / Answer

Absorbance of reagent blank = 0.040

Absorbance of sample = 0.330

Absorbance of sample plus addition = 0.752

10.0 L of a 1000.0 g/mL Cd standard was added to 10.0 mL of solution.

i.e. 10.0 L of Cd standard = 10.0 g of Cd is present.

The absorbance of Cd in 10 ml = Absorbance of sample - Absorbance of reagent blank

The absorbance of Cd in 10 ml = 0.330 - 0.040 = 0.290

Absorbance of sample (10 mL) plus 10 L standard addition = 0.752

Thus, Absorbance of 10 L standard addition = Absorbance of sample (10 mL) plus 10 L standard addition - Absorbance of sample 10 ml

Absorbance of 10 L standard addition =0.752 - 0.330 = 0.422

WKT 10.0 L of Cd standard = 10.0 g of Cd is present = 0.422 absorbance

if 10 mL of sample= ? (x) = 0.290 absorbance

Therefore, 6.872 g of Cd is present in 10 ml of sample.

if absorbance of the actual reagent blank, is 0.084

then, the absorbance of Cd in 10 ml = 0.330 - 0.084 = 0.246

10.0 L of Cd standard = 10.0 g of Cd is present = 0.422 absorbance

if 10 mL of sample= ? (x) = 0.246 absorbance

Therefore, 5.8293 g of Cd is present in 10 ml of sample.

percent error = |(Vtrue - Vused)/Vtrue| X 100

Wherein, true value (Vtrue)= 5.8293 g

Value used (Vused)= 6.872 g

thus, percent error = 17.88 %