Extraction of vanadium from petroleum coke samples by means of microwave wet acid digestion

Abstract

Certified coal standards and Venezuelan petroleum coke samples were submitted to microwave acid digestion to evaluate the convenience of this procedure for the extraction of their vanadium content. The solution and the solid residue remaining after microwave treatment were separated by filtration and each one was analysed for vanadium. The solutions were analysed by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS), the solid residues and the untreated samples of petroleum coke were analysed by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. The results of the analyses showed total extraction of the vanadium after a microwave heating period of approximately 15 min per sample.