title: Application of zirconium-iridium permanent modifier for the simultaneous determination of lead, cadmium, arsenic, and nickel in atmospheric particulate matter by multi-element electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry.
abstract: A novel and robust method for the simultaneous determination of lead, cadmium, arsenic, and nickel in atmospheric particulate matter by multi-element electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry was developed, using zirconium-iridium coating as permanent modifier (140 μg Zr and 4 μg Ir). After 300 atomization cycles, it was necessary to add 2 μg of Ir. Due to the varying concentrations of Pb in atmospheric particulate matter, lead was monitored at two wavelengths, at the less sensitive line of 261.4 nm for high concentration samples (>20 μg L(-1)) or at 283.3 nm for the low concentration samples. Matrix-matched calibration had to be performed for quantitative recoveries (96-102 %). Following this approach, the four elements were determined in atmospheric particulate matter samples from an industrial area near the city of Athens in two different time periods (cold-warm) with limits of detection of 5.5 ng m(-3) for Pb at 261.4 nm and 0.29 ng m(-3) at 283.3 nm, 0.019 ng m(-3) for Cd, 0.14 ng m(-3) for As, and 0.22 ng m(-3) for Ni. Lead, Cd, and As levels were very low, whereas Ni content was at comparable levels with other areas worldwide.
authors: Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis Zografou, 15771, Athens, Greece.
authors: Iota N
authors: IN
authors: Pasias
authors: Nu S
authors: NS
authors: Tauhomaidis
authors: E B
authors: EB
authors: Bakeas
authors: Epsilon A
authors: EA
authors: Piperaki
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D001151:Arsenic / Q000032:analysis; D002104:Cadmium / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D007495:Iridium / Q000737:chemistry; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis*; D009532:Nickel / Q000032:analysis; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis*; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic / Q000379:methods*; D015040:Zirconium / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D008670:Metals; D052638:Particulate Matter; D002104:Cadmium; D007854:Lead; D007495:Iridium; D009532:Nickel; D015040:Zirconium; D001151:Arsenic