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View Actual EPA Method 3020A (PDF File)
EPA Method 3020A:ACID DIGESTION OF AQUEOUS SAMPLES AND EXTRACTS FOR TOTAL METALS FOR ANALYSIS BY GFAA SPECTROSCOPY
Summary:A mixture of nitric acid and the material to be analyzed is refluxed in a covered Griffin beaker. This step is repeated with additional portions of nitric acid until the digestate is light in color or until its color has stabilized. After the digestate has been brought to a low volume, it is cooled and brought up in dilute nitric acid such that the final dilution contains 3% (v/v) nitric acid. This percentage will vary depending on the amount of acid used to complete the digestion. If the sample contains suspended solids, it must be centrifuged, filtered, or allowed to settle.
Scope:This digestion procedure is used for the preparation of aqueous samples, mobility-procedure extracts, and wastes that contain suspended solids for analysis by furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy (GFAA) for the metals listed below. The procedure is used to determine the total amount of the metal in the sample.
Report Number:SW-846 Ch 3.2