Laboratory Equipment & Services Information System by Centralized Laboratory Management Office (CeLMO)

Microwave digestion is a technique used by elemental scientists to dissolve heavy metals in the presence of organic molecules prior to analysis1. The process involves putting a sample in a strong acid and applying microwaves to subject the sample to increasing heat and pressure, which puts the item of interest in solution. Then, that component can be quantified with various detection methods2. Microwave digesters are used to completely break down samples such as metals, pharmaceuticals, plants, soil, or food so they are ready for elemental analysis3.