Possibilities of High Resolution Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry in the Determination of Trace Elements in Environmental Materials

Nikolaya Velitchkova,Nonka Daskalova,Serafim Velichkov,Olga Veleva

doi:10.1155/2013/505871

Abstract

This paper presents new quantitative data for the spectral interferences obtained by high resolution 40.68 MHz radial viewing inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (HR-ICP-OES) in the determination of Zn, Cd, Sb, Cu, Mn, Pb, Sn, Cr, U, and Ba in environmental materials in the presence of a complex matrix, containing Al, Ca, Fe, Mg, and Ti. The �� -concept for quantification of spectral interferences was used. The optimum line selection for trace analysis of a variety of multicomponent matrices requires the choice of prominent lines, which are free or negligibly influenced by line interference problems. The versatility of �� -concept as basic methodology was experimentally demonstrated in the determination of trace of elements in soil and drinking water. The detection limits are lower in comparison with corresponding threshold concentration levels for soil and drinking water in accordance with environmental regulations. This paper shows the possibilities of present day ICP-OES equipment in the direct determination of trace elements (without preconcentration of impurities) in environmental samples.

Highlights

Industrial activities, urban waste treatment, and vehicle exhaust are some of the sources causing large quantities of toxic elements as contamination in atmosphere, water, and soil
This paper presents new quantitative data for the spectral interferences obtained by high resolution 40.68 MHz radial viewing inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (HR-ICP-OES) in the determination of Zn, Cd, Sb, Cu, Mn, Pb, Sn, Cr, U, and Ba in environmental materials in the presence of a complex matrix, containing Al, Ca, Fe, Mg, and Ti
The wavelengths of the prominent lines of Cu, U, and Ba lie in the spectral region 320–800 mn, and the measurements were made in the 1st order

Summary

Introduction

Industrial activities, urban waste treatment, and vehicle exhaust are some of the sources causing large quantities of toxic elements as contamination in atmosphere, water, and soil. In the case of chemical toxicity, elemental analysis of environmental materials such as soil, sediments, natural and waste water, and air particulates can play an important role in the rapid detection and identification of the key element. Due to the adverse health effects of different elements, detection of trace amount of these elements in any environmental sample related to human being is very important. Determination of these elements requires sufficiently sensitive techniques for detection. There are many techniques including flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) [8, 11], electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) [12, 13] inductively coupled plasma optical emission (ICP-OES) [14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21], mass spectrometry (ICPMS) [22,23,24], X-ray and total reflection X-ray fluorescence techniques (TXRF), atomic fluorescence spectrometry (AFS), microwave-induced plasma source (MIP-OES and MIPMS), laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), laserexcited atomic fluorescence spectrometry (LEAFS), and glow discharge mass spectrometry (GD-MS) [25, 26]

Objectives

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Conclusion