Sensitive method for determination of lead by potassium dichromate–lactic acid hydride generation inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry

Abstract

Continuous flow plumbane generation for sample introduction into an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) and further determination of lead by atomic emission spectrometry (AES) has been investigated in order to increase the detection limits of conventional nebulization ICP-AES. Continuous hydride generation from different media is discussed and the generation of plumbane using potassium dichromate with lactic acid has been selected. Sensitivity, selectivity and accuracy of the corresponding determination of lead by ICP-AES are investigated. The proposed method (detection limit, 2 ng ml^–1, precision 1.3% at the 50 ng ml^–1 level) has been applied to the determination of low levels of lead in soft drinks, sediments and lichens. The results obtained show good agreement with certified or expected values.