AbstractNew methods for the determination of carbon in sodium using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (LA-ICP-OES) and ICP-OES with pneumatic nebulisation (PN-ICP-OES) were developed. The determination was required for the study of the carbon dioxide reaction with molten sodium at high temperatures (300–600°C). After exposition to CO2, the solidified sodium sample was subjected to direct solid analysis by LA-ICP-OES and to solution analysis. For the determination of carbon in the sodium sample surface layer by LA-ICP-OES, three different matrices containing sodium were tested (NaCl, NaF, and Na2B4O7 · 10H2O) as calibration pellets. The calibration dependences were improved using sodium as the internal standard. Average carbon content in the sodium bulk sample was determined by PN-ICP-OES after the sample dissolution by water vapour.
