title: Determination of twenty-five elements in lichens by sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and microwave-assisted acid digestion.
abstract: A simple and efficient digestion method for rapid sample preparation and quantification of 25 chemical elements in lichens by sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry is described. A microwave (MW)-assisted acid digestion was carried out at atmospheric pressure simultaneously handling up to 80 samples in screw-capped disposable polystyrene tubes. This digestion procedure was compared with the established MW digestion in closed vessels in order to examine its potential applicability in routine analysis for environmental monitoring. Three certified reference materials, i.e. BCR 482 (lichens), BCR 62 (olive leaves) and BCR 100 (beech leaves), as well as a small set of real samples were analyzed. Limits of quantification, accuracy and precision of the method were assessed. The majority of the elements were totally recovered from the lichens and from the other vegetable matrices. Low contamination risk, simplicity, time-saving, and applicability in routine analyses make this method very suitable for use in extensive screening campaigns.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environment and Primary Prevention, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pino
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alimonti
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Botrè
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Minoia
authors.forename: Beatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bocca
authors.forename: Marcelo E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Conti
mesh_terms: D000143:Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D001151:Arsenic / Q000032:analysis; D004602:Elements; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D008011:Lichens / Q000737:chemistry*; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis; D019565:Metals, Light / Q000032:analysis; D008872:Microwaves
chemical_list: D000143:Acids; D004602:Elements; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D019565:Metals, Light; D001151:Arsenic