Method for the Determination of Selenium in Biological Samples by Hydrogen Selenide Evolution Electrothermal Atomic Absorption

This paper deals with studies on the method of selenium determination in biological samples and several fundamental experiments using the rapid semi-automized electrothermal atomisation atomic absorption spectro-photometric procedure. Samples were digested with a mixture of nitric acid and perchloric acid, then selenium was determined by hydrogen evolution electrothermal atomic absorption method. Coexistence of high concentrations of Fe, As, Ni and Cu interferes with selenium determination. However, these interferences could be negligible in the case of determination of biological samples. The sensitivity of this method is sufficient for application to the determination of selenium in biological samples.