Airborne Particulate Lead Research Articles

The Accurate Measurement of Lead in Airborne Particulates

Abstract The accurate and rapid measurement of lead in airborne particulates is discussed with particular reference to so-called high-volume air samples. By standard addition analysis, it was found that there is no significant matrix error in measurements of lead taken on glass high-volume niters, within the range of concentrations investigated. This applies to varying or fixed amounts of the glass filter matrix. Recovery of standard added lead is quantitative. Although glass fibre sheet is much too impure for the analysis of most airborne metals, it is possible to analyze lead since the blank is reasonably uniform and since the amounts of lead on such a filter are large in comparison to the blank. Some additional corroboration has been obtained that the distribution of lead is uniform across the total exposed area of the filter. The final error of the lead measurement, as reported, is likely to be more largely a function of sampling problems such as time and flow measurements and particulate fall off and...

Determination of lead in airborne particulates in Chicago and Cook County, Illinois, by atomic absorption spectroscopy

A simple precise procedure for determining the lead content of suspended particulate samples collected from the air uses atomic absorption spectroscopy. It is necessary to utilize the standard additions technique to overcome matrix effects. Analyses of 38 samples collected in the Chicago and Cook County area on March 31, 1966, as a part of the National Air Sampling Network, yielded values from 0.10 to 3,18 g. of Pb per cubic meter of air. Results obtained by the referee method of polarography showed substantial agreement with atomic absorption values. Possibilities of employing atomic absorption for the determination of other metals found in suspended particulates are currently being investigated. 12 references, 4 figures, 2 tables.