ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the chemistry involved in preparing an aqueous solution from metals and alloys. While there are important exceptions what is generally implicit in the dissolution of metals is the preparation of an acidic aqueous solution that faithfully represents the total analyte concentration in the metal or alloy. Millings, drillings, filings, and other chip forms are employed because their large surface area greatly enhances reaction rates. A great many elements yield precipitates with nitric acid, taking the form of hydrous oxides: antimony, hafnium, molybdenum, niobium, tantalum, tin, titanium, tungsten, and zirconium. While volatiles losses can occur at any point in an analysis the reactions involved in the dissolution of the test portion are usually responsible. In trace analysis the effect of dissolution media on the blank should never be far from the analyst's thoughts since the use of the wrong reagent can have a dramatic debilitating effect on accuracy.
