A novel method for the preparation of crude oil samples based on a xerogel matrix was developed for elemental analysis using laser ablation-double focusing sector field inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The samples and aqueous solution were successfully encapsulated using zirconium npropoxide. The use of xerogel produces stable and homogeneous pellets, avoids splashing of the sample and allows the use of aqueous inorganic standards to elaborate the calibration curve. Sulfur, nickel and vanadium were selected as test elements and indium was used as the internal standard to correct the variations in the amount of material ablated. The correlation coefficients of the calibration curves for all the elements tested were better than 0.990 except for sulfur. Crude oil results showed no significant statistical differences between the sol-gel results and those obtained with similar studies.
Encapsulation of samples in Zr xerogels has been implemented for the elemental analysis of crude oils using Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy. Pellets produced from xerogels proved to be durable and homogeneous, and they allow ablation of the samples without splatters. Ni and V present in Venezuelan crude oil were used as probe elements and Yttrium was used as internal standard to take account of the fluctuations in the amount of ablated material. All the calibration curves obtained were described by high correlation coefficients, r 2 > 0.990. Detection limits of 7 and 4 µg g -1 for V and Ni were estimated, respectively. V/(V+Ni) quotients showed high values > 0.8. The accuracy of the method was assessed by analyzing standard reference materials (SRM 1084a and 1085b). The measured values of V and Ni in the SRM agreed well with the certified values at the 95% confidence level.
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