What sample processing methods are suitable for ashing furnaces?

Ashing furnace is suitable for various sample processing methods, mainly used to oxidize and decompose organic matter in samples through high-temperature treatment, so as to release the tested elements in a soluble or measurable state. The following are the main sample processing methods applicable to ashing furnaces:
1. Dry ashing
Dry ashing is one of the most commonly used sample processing methods in ashing furnaces. This method places the sample in a crucible inside an ashing furnace and undergoes a series of heating steps to oxidize and decompose the organic matter in the sample at high temperatures, ultimately leaving behind inorganic ash. The specific steps are as follows:
Preprocessing: Depending on the nature of the sample, it may be necessary to preprocess the sample, such as grinding, drying, etc.
Low temperature carbonization: Place the sample in an ashing furnace and carbonize it at a low temperature (such as in an electric furnace) to remove moisture and volatile substances from the sample.
High temperature ashing: Place the carbonized sample into a high-temperature ashing furnace and raise the temperature to 500-600 ℃ (depending on the sample) to completely oxidize and decompose the organic matter in the sample, leaving behind inorganic ash.
Cooling and treatment: After ashing is completed, remove the crucible and cool it down. Then wash the ash with inorganic acids (such as dilute hydrochloric acid, dilute nitric acid, etc.), dilute with deionized water to a certain volume, and proceed with subsequent analysis and determination.
2. Wet digestion assisted ashing
In some cases, in order to improve the ashing effect or reduce the loss of volatile elements, wet digestion can be used to pre treat the sample before ashing. Wet digestion is the use of strong acids (such as nitric acid, sulfuric acid, perchloric acid, etc.) or strong oxidants (such as hydrogen peroxide, potassium permanganate, etc.) under heating conditions to destroy the organic matter in the sample and convert it into soluble inorganic substances. After wet digestion, the sample is subjected to ashing treatment, which can more thoroughly decompose the organic matter in the sample, improve the recovery rate of ash and the accuracy of determination.
3. Determination of specific elements or components
The ashing furnace is also suitable for the determination of specific elements or components. For example, in the fields of food, environment, agriculture, etc., it is often necessary to determine heavy metals, minerals, trace elements, etc. in samples. By ashing treatment, these elements can be released from the sample and transformed into measurable states for quantitative or qualitative analysis.
matters needing attention
When using an ashing furnace for sample processing, appropriate processing conditions and parameters should be selected based on the properties of the sample, analysis requirements, and the performance of the ashing furnace.
During the ashing process, safety should be taken into account to avoid high-temperature burns and the emission of harmful gases.
The ash content after ashing should be processed and analyzed in a timely manner to avoid contamination or loss caused by prolonged storage.
In summary, the ashing furnace is suitable for various sample processing methods such as dry ashing, wet digestion assisted ashing, and determination of specific elements or components. These processing methods have been widely applied in multiple fields, providing strong support for scientific research and industrial production.