Research Progress in Analytical Technology for Heavy Metals in Atmospheric Particles

Abstract

Atmospheric particles have become the primary atmospheric pollutions, of which the heavy metals, owing to non-degradability and hysteresis, a serious threat to human life and natural environment, have become a hot research issue currently. The analytical methods of heavy metals in atmospheric particles are summarized in the present review, including atomic absorption spectrometry, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, neutron activation analysis, fluorescence spectrometry, glow discharge atomic emission spectrometry, microwave plasma atomic emission spectrometry, and laser induced breakdown spectroscopy, and some proposals are tried to make for improving the shortcomings of these technologies: continuum source Atomic absorption spectrometry for simultaneously measuring multi-elements, atomic emission spectrometry for direct determination of particulates, high resolution laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for determination of solid samples, low scattering synchrotron fluorescence spectrum for determination of atmospheric particulate matter and k0 neutron activation analysis for determination of radioactive elements in the troposphere Analysis techniques of heavy metals in atmospheric particulate matter are promoted to develop toward being real-time, fast, low- detection-limit, direct-measurement and simple-operation due to the spatial and temporal distribution difference of the heavy metals in atmospheric particles and human requirement for improvement of ambient air quality as well as rapid development of modern instrument science and technology.