A new method of combination micro column packed with 2 ethylhexyl hydrogen 2 ethylhexyl phosphonate(P 507 ) extraction resin with electrothermal vaporization inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry(ETV ICP AES) for separation and determination of trace rare earth elements(lanthanum, europium, yttrium and ytterbium) has been developed. Various influencing factors, such as the acidity of solution, flow rate and the volume of the sample, the length of the micro column on the separation and the preconcentration are examined in detail, the effect of the existence of organic matrix and the pre ashing temperature on determination of rare earth elements by ETV ICP AES has also been studied.
