Degradation of Some Resistant Organic Compounds during Pressure Decomposition with Nitric Acid – Potassium Chlorate Reagent Solution
M. Sager *
Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, Special Investigations in Element Analysis, Spargelfeld Strasse 191, A-1220 Vienna, Austria
F. Hammerschmidt
Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, Special Investigations in Element Analysis, Spargelfeld Strasse 191, A-1220 Vienna, Austria and Organic Chemistry Institute, University of Vienna, Währinger Strasse 38, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
In a mixture of nitric acid and chloric acid, nitrate has been proven to be the oxidizing agent for the organic matrix to be digested. White precipitates obtained occasionally after microwave-assisted pressure digestion with potassium chlorate in dilute nitric acid solution, have been identified as nitrification products of phenyl alanine and tyrosine by 1H- NMR methods. Lowering sample weight leads to clear digests.
Keywords: Potassium chlorate, pressure digestion, phenylalanine, tyrosine, boron, iodine, sulfur, heavy metals