Determination of Selenium and Tellurium by HG-AAS in Foods

A method has been investigated for the determination of selenium and tellurium in Ginseng, Ganoderma and Garlic using hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry(HG-AAS). The concentration effects of hydrochloric acid and sodium tetrahydroborate on the hydride generation for the determination of selenium and tellurium were investigated. The method of sample decomposition was also investigated using various mineral acids, such as nitric, perchloric and sulfuric acid in the closed system, and foreign ion effects containing in the samples were studied. The calibration curves of selenium and tellurium were obtained in the range of 0~40 ppb. The detection limits(S/N=2) of selenium and tellurium are 0.1 and 0.2 ppb. Analytical data of selenium and tellurium in Garlic, Ganoderma and Ginseng are 289, 296 and 198 ng/g for selenium and 146, 127 and 110 ng/g for tellurium, respectively.