Determination of vanadium in Turkish asphaltites

Abstract

Vanadium is found in many rocks and minerals, including asphaltite. Asphaltite is one of the naturally occurring black, solid bitumens, which are soluble at heating in carbon disulfide and fuse. Asphaltite is also a solidified hydrocarbon compound derived from petroleum. Determination of vanadium in asphaltite ash was performed by microwave-acid digestion followed by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). Asphaltites from Avgamasya, Harbul, and Segürük deposits in SE Anatolia of Turkey have been investigated. Concentrations of vanadium in Avgamasya, Harbul, Segürük asphaltite bottom ashes were determined using ICP-OES to be 5.871, 4.324, 2.777 g kg-1, respectively. © 2010 Estonian Academy Publishers.