Slurry Sampling Electrothermal Atomic Absorption Spectrometric Determination of Lead, Cadmium and Manganese in Human Hair Samples Using Rapid Atomizer Programs

Abstract

Rapid methods for the determination of lead, cadmium and manganese in human scalp hair by ETAAS using rapid atomizer programs and deuterium arc background correction have been developed. Samples were powdered by means of a zirconia vibrating ball mill over a period of 20 min (mean particle size less than 1 µm). Then 0.1 g of the powder was suspended in a few ml of water and diluted to 25 ml. An optimum drying temperature of 250 °C was found for lead, cadmium and manganese. Optimum atomization temperatures of 2200 and 1900 °C were found for cadmium and manganese, and for lead, respectively. The program cycles were 38 s for cadmium and lead, and 37 s for manganese. Glycerol, at an optimum concentration of 0.4% m/v, was used as a stabilizing agent. Simple aqueous calibration was used for all analytes. The limits of detection were 0.03, 0.05 and 0.04 mg kg -1 for cadmium, lead and manganese, respectively. Accuracy was studied by analysing CRM 397 human hair, and the cadmium and lead levels were found to be in accordance with the certified accuracy values. The levels of metals obtained were in agreement with those previously reported for healthy people in Europe, i.e. , less than 3.0 and 0.3 mg kg -1 for lead and cadmium, respectively.