Study to determine the content of vanadium, aluminum, nickel, sodium, iron and copper in a catalytic cracking catalyst, by using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS), has the advantage of its simplicity, speed and low cost. All this, together with its high sensibility and selectivity, makes the AAS one the most widely used analytic techniques. The present work shows, the study to determine the content of vanadium, aluminum, nickel, sodium, iron and copper in a catalytic cracking catalyst of a refinery, by using this technique. The results are compared to those of two laboratories which use the ICP-AES and AAS techniques and shows the processing of the statistics with the use of the t of Student and the F of Snedecor. The results using different methods are also shown as well as the recommended application of this results in the chemical characterization of this type of catalysts