USGS-NWQL: I-5735:  Sodium, recoverable-from-bottom-material, dry wt, atomic absorption spectrometric

  • Summary
  • Analytes
  • Revision
  • Data and Sites
Official Method Name
Sodium, atomic absorption spectrometric, direct
Current Revision
1972
Media
SOILS/SEDIMENT
Instrumentation
Flame Atomic Absorption
Method Subcategory
Inorganic
Method Source
  USGS-NWQL
Citation
Methods for the Determination of Inorganic Substances in Water and Fluvial Sediments, Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations of the United States Geological Survey, Book 5, Chapter A1 Edited by Marvin J. Fishman and Linda C. Friedman
Brief Method Summary
Sodium is determined by atomic absorption spectrometry by direct aspiration of the sample solution into an air-acetylene flame (Fishman and Downs, 1966).
The procedure may be automated by the addition of a sampler and either a strip-chart recorder or a printer.
Scope and Application
This method may be used to analyze bottom material containing at least 10 mg/kg of sodium.
Two analytical ranges for sodium are included: from 0.01 to 1.0 mg/L and from 0.10 to 80 mg/L. Sample solutions containing sodium concentrations greater than 80 mg/L need to be diluted.
Recoverable sodium in bottom material needs to undergo preliminary digestion-solubilization by method 1-5485 before being determined.
Applicable Concentration Range
0.01 to 80 mg/L
Interferences
None of the substances commonly occurring in natural water interfere with this method.
Quality Control Requirements
Calibrate instrument using calibration standards (CAL); quality control samples (QCS); and laboratory blanks (LB) analyzed at a minimum of 1 for every 10 samples.
Sample Handling
Bottom Material (stream bed sediment) 500 mL wide mouth propylene bottle; no treatment or preservation requirements.
Maximum Holding Time
180 days
Relative Cost
Less than $50
Sample Preparation Methods
I-5485