Speciation analysis of metals (Tl, Cd and Pb) in Tl-containing pyrite and its cinder from Yunfu Mine, China, by ICP-MS with sequential extraction

Abstract

The speciation of heavy metals such as thallium, cadmium and lead existing in pyrite and pyrite cinder was analyzed by ICP-MS with a sequential extraction procedure. The distribution patterns of these metals including exchangeable, reducible, oxidizable and residual fractions were obtained. Tl, Cd and Pb in pyrite and pyrite cinder samples from each extraction step were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Under the optimized instrumental conditions, detection limits of Tl, Cd and Pb in different matrices were within the range of 0.006–0.07 μg/L, and the relative standard deviations ranged from 0.8% to 1.2%. The accuracy of Tl, Cd and Pb determination was checked by analyzing two certified reference materials. The results demonstrate that trace Tl, Cd and Pb in the samples can be accurately determined. The sequential extraction results revealed that the percent contents of Tl, Cd and Pb in exchangeable, reducible and oxidizable fractions in pyrite cinder are different from those in pyrite and in pyrite cinder. Tl, Cd and Pb mostly are distributed in residual fraction. Therefore, the mobility of metals in pyrite is higher than that in pyrite cinder. Although distributions of Tl, Cd and Pb in the non-residual fraction are not dominant in pyrite cinder, the total concentrations of them could not be ignored. Consequently, attention must be paid to the risk of potential pollution by pyrite cinder.