Abstract:Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) has been used to determine magnesium oxide (MgO), ferric oxide (Fe₂O₃), silicon dioxide (SiO₂), manganese oxide (MnO) and aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) contents in the limestone. After the sample is fused with anhydrous sodium carbonate and sodium tetraborate at high temperature, the limestone sample can be well dissolved by acid hydrolysis with hydrochloric acid. The analytical spectral lines Mg 285.21 nm、Fe 238.20 nm、Si 251.61 nm、Mn 257.61 nm、Al 396.15 nm were selected respectively. The effect of matrix is corrected by blank correction . Under the selected experimental conditions, the linear correlation coeffcients of calibration curves of elements were all not less than 0.999 within the linear range. The relative standard deviation (RSD, n=6) of the test results were between 1.75% and 2.42%, and the labeled recovery of each measurement element was between 94% and 105%. In accordance with the experimental method, the test results of each element were compared with the results obtained by the five national standard test methods, and the accuracy, precision and recovery were within the ideal range. The results show that this method can meet the requirements of simultaneous measurement of five elements in limestone, and is more rapid and accurate. The study demonstrates the method will also play an important role in the analysis and characterization of limestone materials.