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APPLICATION NOTE

Qotho CRM-1-236 – Ferrochrome

SUMMARY

The application note summarizes the digestion of QCRM-1-236, a Ferrochrome Certified Reference Material using ColdBlock™ Digestion Pro Series Technology.

Instrument: ColdBlock CBM sample digester, chiller, HF inserts, ICP-OES
Published: March 2026
Digestion Time: 95.5 Minutes
Acid Used: H2SO4, HNO3, HF
Average ColdBlock Recovery vs. CRM:
  • 61% Aluminum
  • 101% Chromium
  • 105% Iron

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METHODOLOGY

  1. The chiller temperature was set to -5 °C.
  2. Approximately 0.100 g of each sample was accurately weighed and transferred into a ColdBlock digestion vessel.
  3. A reagent mixture of 20 mL 5 % H2SO4 v/v and 2 mL HF was added to each vessel.
  4. Samples were digested at 100 % power for 5 minutes, followed by 40% power for 80 minutes.
  5. An additional 5 mL HNO3 was introduced to each vessel.
  6. Samples were further digested at 40 % power for 10 minutes, followed by 100 % power for 30 seconds.
  7. Digestates were allowed to cool, then quantitatively diluted to a final volume of 50mL using a solution of 2 % HNO3 v/v.

DISCUSSION

  • An optional addition of boric acid (20mL of 4% v/v H3BO3) can be used to complex residual fluoride ions, which stabilizes the solution and enables safe analysis on sample introduction systems that are not equipped with inert HF kits.
  • The inclusion of boric acid did not enhance the recoveries of aluminum or magnesium.

Results

QCRM-1-236 – Ferrochrome Powder

Element 

Certified Value (wt.%)

+/-

Sample A

Sample B

Sample C

Averag (wt.%)

Stdev 

RSD 

Recovery

Al

2.43

0.14

1.48

1.44

1.49

1.47

0.023

1.6%

61%

Co

0.047

0.002

0.047

0.045

0.046

0.046

0.001

1.5%

98%

Cr

40.74

0.23

41.25

40.48

41.61

41.11

0.58

1.4%

101%

Fe

29.46

0.36

31.31

30.42

31.20

30.98

0.49

1.6%

105%

Mg

1.72

0.20

1.21

1.20

1.20

1.20

0.002

0.1%

70%

Mn

0.38

0.01

0.40

0.39

0.40

0.39

0.007

1.8%

104%

Ni

0.139

0.002

0.14

0.15

0.14

0.14

0.003

2.2%

103%

Si

6.46

0.07

6.51

5.95

6.10

6.19

0.291

4.7%

96%

Ti

0.45

0.01

0.45

0.44

0.44

0.45

0.01

1.3%

99%

V

0.27

0.01

0.26

0.25

0.26

0.26

0.005

0.02

96%

Qotho Minerals (Pty) Ltd (2022). QCRM-1-236 Ferrochrome Certified Reference Material, Certificate of Analysis. South Africa.

Click here to download the Application Note in PDF format.

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