Determination of gold in microelectronic waste using atomic absorption spectroscopy and gravimetry

The procedures of gold determination in microelectronic waste using flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS) and gravimetric analysis are developed. The developed methods are used for gold determination in the waste of gold etching (KI + I₂) solution, technological mixture formed after cleaning vacuum deposition unit with aqua-regia solution as well as in a gold-containing powder obtained after reprocessing of liquid wastes. Optimum conditions for preparation and analysis of liquid and solid wastes having complex and variable matrix composition are specified. The FAAS methods of analysis provide determination of wastes in a wide range of gold concentration: in the solution for gold etching within the concentration range from 0.02 to 40 g/dm3, in the liquid phase of the technological mixture — from 0.1 to 30 g/dm3, in the solid phase of the technological mixture and in the gold-containing powder — from 3 to 80 wt. % with the relative error no more than ±5%. The gravimetric methods provide gold determination in the liquid phase of the technological mixture after gold reduction with hydrazine hedrochloride within the range of gold concentration from 0.5 to 500.0 g/dm3 with the relative error no more than ±1.3%. It is shown that the developed methods of analysis demonstrate good convergence of the results of analysis. The methods of analysis are certified by the Metrological Department of the enterprise and can be in a support technology of microelectronics production.

solid and liquid gold-containing wastes, gold determination, atomic absorption analysis, gravimetric analysis

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