Application of acetylacetone chelation solid-phase extraction to GFAAS measurements of trace amounts of beryllium in marine organisms.

Trace amounts of Be (0.046-2.59 ng) in a dried marine organism sample (10 mg) could be accurately determined by GFAAS after treating with microwave digestion (HNO3/H2O2) at 85 degrees C for 10 min and using acetylacetone as a chelating agent in the presence of an acetate buffer (pH 6.0). The method detection limit (MDL, 3sigma) for Be was found to be 4.6 ng g(-1); the calibration graph was linear up to 259 ng g(-1). Good recoveries (98.5-105.0%) were obtained for eight marine organism samples (including five fish, one lobster, one oyster, and one algae) with a relative standard deviation (RSD, n = 3) < 3.0%. The proposed method could be applied measurements of Be in various marine organisms.