4.1 Tin-based solder alloys are commonly used to manufacture electrical and electronic goods. The elements lead, cadmium, mercury, antimony and bismuth are often declarable substances in solder materials. This test method provides a means of determining the listed declarable substances, as well as other minor and trace constituents, in tin-based solder alloys.

4.2 Two methods of dissolving tin-based solder alloys are given in this standard. The first method uses open-vessel hydrofluoric and nitric acid room temperature digestions; the second method employs closed-vessel nitric and hydrofluoric acid microwave digestions, both for use only with ICP-AES instruments equipped with a hydrofluoric acid resistant sample introduction system.

4.3 The method of preparing calibration solutions uses 1000 mg/kg single element reference material solutions, and uses matching concentrated acids for both the calibration solutions and the sample solutions.

4.4 This test method is intended for use by laboratories experienced with the set-up, calibration and analysis of samples using ICP-AES.

1.1 This test method covers procedures for the analysis of tin-based solder alloys for minor and trace elements using inductively-coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) instrumentation.

1.2 These test procedures were validated for the analytes and mass fractions listed below.

Element

Validated Mass Fraction
Range, mg/kg

Lead

115 to 965

Cadmium

25 to 60

Mercury

5 to 530

Antimony

85 to 1330

Bismuth

80 to 210

Arsenic

95 to 360

Silver

4000 to 42100

Cobalt

0.5 to 60

Iron

15 to 115

Chromium

0.5 to 1.5

Copper

3000 to 30600

Indium

25 to 115

Nickel

5 to 150

Phosphorus

10 to 110

Selenium

1 to 30

Zinc

2 to 160

Aluminum

1 to 3

1.3 The procedures appear in the following order:

Procedure

Section

Internal Standardization

8

Calibration Solution Preparations

9

Preparation of Sample and Validation Solutions

10

Calibration

11

Analysis Procedure

12

1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard. Any other values are for information only.

1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.