Flame atomic emission spectrometric determination of boron in methanolic solutions: influence of fluoride on the solute transport efficiency

Fluoride ions decrease the molecular flame emission of boron in methanolic solutions. It is shown that the reason for this decrease is that in solutions free from fluoride, most of the boron volatilises in the spray chamber and reaches the flame mainly as a vapour; however, fluoride ions greatly diminish the volatility of boron, and hence the amount of boron reaching the flame per unit time also decreases with increasing fluoride concentration. (author)