Common Problems with Hg, Au, Si, Os and Na

Osmium (Os)

Keep the following in mind when working with osmium:

• Os should not be exposed to any oxidizing agents to avoid the formation of OsO₄. The tetroxide is very volatile and toxic.
• A common mistake is to dilute Os containing solutions with solutions containing nitric acid. Tetroxide formation is slow but will cause false high readings due to the increased amount of the gaseous tetroxide reaching the plasma.
• Only work with Os in HCl containing solutions and use a separate waste container. Check with your safety coordinator or manager before using and attempting to dispose of Os.
• Use glass introduction systems if at all possible when measuring Os. The washout times from plastic introduction systems are slower.

• Os elemental data

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