Non-metals in non-ferrous metals

An overview is presented on the state of the art of the analysis on non-metals in non-ferrous metals. Main emphasis is given to the bulk trace analysis of gases in non-ferrous metals, i.e. oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen and to carbon analysis, since these impurities generally exert pronounced effects on the physical and especially the mechanical properties of non-ferrous metals. However, other non-metallic impurities, i.e. sulphur, boron, silicon, phosphoros, arsenic, selenium and tellurium are also discussed with special reference to metals the properties of which are intluenced by such contaminants. Result on respective round robin tests are presented. These tests were organized by two organizations who dedicated much of their efforts to these comparative exercises and the production of relevant reference materials: the working group Non-Metals in Non-Ferrous Metals of the Community Bureau of Reference (BCR) of the Commission of the European Communities and the Chemikerausschuss of the Gesellschaft Deutscher Metallhuetten- und Bergleute (GDMB). The accuracy of results was proved by the use of several independent methods, namely activation analysis in addition to classical methods. Activation analysis frequently turned out to be the only means of determination of non-metallic traces in the nanogram per gram range. (orig.)