Interactions of major, minor and trace elements on the carbon rod atomic-absorption spectrophotometric determination of micro-amounts of ytterbium, holmium, dysprosium and thulium

The electrothermal atomisation of trace amounts of some heavy rare earth elements has been investigated using a carbon rod atomiser. The interferences due to the components (major, minor and trace) of a common silicate matrix have been studied in order to obtain the best analytical conditions for future determinations. The detection limits (using uncoated graphite rods) are 5 pg of dysprosium, 3 pg of holmium and thulium and 0.4 pg of ytterbium.