Determination of barium, chromium, cadmium, manganese, lead and zinc in atmospheric particulate matter by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES)

The present paper has shown that the Q concept, as proposed by P.W.J.M. Boumans, J.J.A.M. Vrakking, Spectrochim. Acta Part B 43 (1988) 69, can be used as a basic methodology in the determination of Ba, Cr, Cd, Mn, Pb and Zn in pairs of atmospheric particles by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). The data base of Q values for line interference [QIj(λa)] and Q values for wing background interference [QWJ(Δλa)] were obtained in our former work [N. Daskalova, Iv. Boevski, Spectral interferences in the determination of trace elements in environmental materials by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry, Spectrochim. Acta Part B 54 (1999) 1099–1122]. The samples of atmospheric particles were collected by the Bergerhoff method. The ICP-AES determination was performed after sample digestion with aqua regia. Q values were used for the calculation of both the total interfering signal under the analysis lines and the true detection limits, depending on the matrix constituents in the different samples. Comparative data for the concentration of analytes were obtained by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) and direct current arc atomic emission spectrographic method (dc arc-AES).