Abstract
In the present study, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has been applied for the determination of levels of Cr, Mn and Fe in sediment samples and the results have been compared with that of flame-atomic absorption spectroscopy (F-AAS). Fourteen sediment samples were collected from Tinishu Akaki River (TAR), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Pellets of 24 mm in diameter and 3-5 mm in thickness were prepared using a manual hydraulic press under a pressure of 8000 psi by mixing finely ground sediment samples with boric acid. The concentrations of Cr, Mn and Fe were successfully determined by Q-switched Nd:YAG laser at 1064 nm. Quantification of these metals was conducted against certified reference materials of sediments and soils. The LIBS results for the elements varied from 0.060–0.707 mg/g for Cr, 0.895–3.64 mg/g for Mn and 26.9–71.8 mg/g for Fe. The F-AAS results varied from 0.061–1.37 mg/g for Cr, 1.24–4.46 mg/g for Mn and 49.0–83.3 mg/g for Fe. TAR was found to be heavily polluted with Cr. KEY WORDS: Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, Chromium, Manganese, Iron, Sediment, Tinishu Akaki River, Ethiopia Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2013, 27(1), 1-13.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v27i1.1
Highlights
Sediments could be polluted by various means other than natural sources, such as via polluted river water, where the river could be polluted by the waste water outflows, airborne inputs, rainfall, dust precipitation, industrial sludge and transport activities [1]
Heavy metal analysis can be carried out using flame-atomic absorption spectrometry (F-AAS), graphite furnace-atomic absorption spectrometry (GF-AAS), inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), electrochemical analysis and neutron activation analysis (NAA) where except LIBS the other techniques are the most commonly used [2−12]
The objective of this study was to quantify Cr, Mn and Fe in sediment samples collected from Tinishu Akaki River (TAR), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia using LIBS, and to evaluate how different areas of TAR are polluted with regard to Cr, Mn and Fe
Summary
Sediments could be polluted by various means other than natural sources, such as via polluted river water, where the river could be polluted by the waste water outflows, airborne inputs, rainfall, dust precipitation, industrial sludge and transport activities [1]. Determination of the concentration of heavy metals in the sediment is important for assessing the nature and extent to which the aquatic environment is polluted. Heavy metals are present in natural uncontaminated sediments with dissimilar background concentrations. There is an increasing need to determine the degree of pollution quickly and accurately, in particular heavy metals in sediments. Heavy metal analysis can be carried out using flame-atomic absorption spectrometry (F-AAS), graphite furnace-atomic absorption spectrometry (GF-AAS), inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), electrochemical analysis and neutron activation analysis (NAA) where except LIBS the other techniques are the most commonly used [2−12]
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