Trace analysis of corrosion products by integrating sampling techniques

Corrosion product analysis with sensitivities down to 1 ng/kg (0.001 ppb) is of interest in the study of corrosion product transport rates in power plants. In our present work we concentrated 50 to 100 kg samples on filter sandwiches consisting of membrane and ion-exchange filter papers. The efficiency of this filter sandwich is investigated in detail. The filter papers were subsequently analyzed by spectrophotometry, atomic absorption spectrometry, neutron activation analysis and energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence analysis. The determination limits attained are: Fe 0.002, Ni 0.002, Cr 0.002, Cu 0.002, Co 0.0003 and Zn 0.002 μg/kg (ppb). An example of application of the method is given in the form of a corrosion-product transport rate analysis for power plant condensates and a confirmatory comparison to actual plant performance. (author)