New Standardless Method of Pb Analysis by Electrothermal Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy in Air Aerosols: Comparison with the Official Method

Abstract

A standardless analysis method with electrothermal atomization/atomic absorption spectroscopy (ETA-AAS) measurements is proposed and applied to the determination of Pb in an urban environment (Bologna, Italy) and compared with results obtained in the same place and time, with the method dictated by Italian law, which is derived by European Community Directives. It was found that the difference previously observed between the two methods is due to the low efficiency of the 0.45-μm-pore-size paper filters, dictated by the official method. The uncovering of the error source validates the proposed method and highlights its accuracy. Moreover, the two methods can be conveniently combined to give two series of data relevant to pollutants associated with low- and high-dimension particles. This capability gives a much more precise picture of the hazard of a pollutant.