Simple flow-injection system for the simultaneous determination of nitrite and nitrate in water samples

A novel spectrophotometric reaction system was developed for the determination of nitrite as well as nitrate in water samples, and was applied to a flow-injection analysis (FIA). The spectrophotometric flow-injection system coupled with a copperised cadmium reductor column was proposed. The detection was based on the nitrosation reaction between nitrite ion and phloroglucinol (1,3,5-trihydroxybenzene), a commercially available phenolic compound. Sample injected into a carrier stream was split into two streams at the Y-shaped connector. One of the streams merged directly and reacted with the reagent stream: nitrite ion in the samples was detected. The other stream was passed through the copperised cadmium reductor column, where the reduction of nitrate to nitrite occurred, and the sample zone was then mixed with the reagent stream and passed through the detector: the sum of nitrate and nitrite was detected. The optimised conditions allow a linear calibration range of 0.03–0.30 μg NO₂⁻-N ml⁻¹ and 0.10–1.00 μg NO₃⁻-N ml⁻¹. The detection limits for nitrite and nitrate, defined as three times the standard deviation of measured blanks are 2.9 ng NO₂⁻-N ml⁻¹ and 2.3 ng NO₃⁻-N ml⁻¹, respectively. Up to 20 samples can be analyzed per hour with a relative standard deviation of less than 1.5%. The proposed method could be applied successfully to the simultaneous determination of nitrite and nitrate in water samples.     

Peroxidase immobilized on Amberlite IRA-743 resin for on-line spectrophotometric detection of hydrogen peroxide in rainwater

The importance of atmospheric hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) in the oxidation of SO₂ and other compounds has been well established. A spectrophotometric method for the determination of hydrogen peroxide in rainwater is proposed. This method is based on selective oxidation of hydrogen peroxide using an on-line tubular reactor containing peroxidase immobilized on Amberlite IRA-743 resin. The hydrogen peroxide in the presence of phenol, 4-aminoantipyrine and peroxidase, produces a red compound (λ = 505 nm). Beer's law is obeyed in a concentration range of 1–100 μmol l⁻¹ hydrogen peroxide with an excellent correlation coefficient (r = 0.9991), at pH 7.0, with a relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) <2%. The detection limit of the method is 0.7 μmol l⁻¹ (4.8 ng of H₂O₂ in a 200 μl sample). Measurements of hydrogen peroxide in rain samples were carried out over the period from November 2003 to January 2005, in the central area of the Juiz de Fora city, Brazil. The concentration of H₂O₂ varied from values lower than the detection limit to 92.5 μmol l⁻¹. The effects of the presence of nonseasalt (NSS) SO₄²⁻, NO₃⁻ and H⁺ in the concentration of hydrogen peroxide in the rainwater had been evaluated. The average concentrations of H₂O₂, NO₃⁻, NSS SO₄²⁻ and SO₄²⁻ are 23.4, 18.9, 7.9 and 10.3 μmol l⁻¹, respectively. The pH values for 82% of the collected samples are greater than 5.0. The spectrophotometeric method developed in this work that uses enzyme immobilized on the resin ion-exchange compared with the amperometric method did not present any significant difference in the results.     

Flow injection determination of nitrite by fluorescence quenching

A simple, sensitive and selective fluorimetric method for the determination of nitrite ion in waters using a merging zones flow injection system is described. The fluorimetric determination is based on the measurement of the quenching effect produced by nitrite on proflavine (3,6-diaminoacridine) fluorescence (λ_ex/λ_em=290/519 nm).

The optimum experimental conditions were investigated by merging 0.5 ml of the sample and 0.5 ml of a solution of 5 mg l⁻¹ of proflavine (in 0.1 M HCl) in a flow injection system, on-line connected to a flow-cell placed in the conventional sample compartment of a spectrofluorimeter. The selected carrier solution and final flow rate were 0.1 M HCl and 0.5 ml min⁻¹, respectively. A reaction coil of 2 ml was used. As a result of the simplicity of this system, a sample throughput of about 50 samples h⁻¹ can be achieved with the proposed methodology.

The detection limit was 1.1 ng ml⁻¹ (3σ criterion) of nitrite. The repeatability for five sample injections containing 100 ng ml⁻¹ of nitrite was ±0.3% and the observed linear range extended up to 400 ng ml⁻¹. Also, the effect of interferences from various metals and anions commonly present in waters was also studied.

The method was successfully applied to the determination of low levels of nitrite in different water samples (river, fountain, tap and commercial drinking waters).     

Spectrophotometric simultaneous determination of nitrite, nitrate and ammonium in soils by flow injection analysis

A new rapid flow injection procedure for the simultaneous determination of nitrate, nitrite and ammonium in single flow injection analysis system is proposed. The procedure combines on-line reduction of nitrate to nitrite and oxidation of ammonium to nitrite with spectrophotometric detection of nitrite by using the Griess-llosvay reaction. The formed azo dye was measured at 543 nm. The influence of reagent concentration and manifold parameters were studied. Nitrite, nitrate and ammonium can be determined within the range of 0.02–1.60 μg mL⁻¹, 0.02–1.60 μg mL⁻¹ and 0.05–1.40 μg mL⁻¹, respectively. R.S.D. values (n = 10) were 2.66; 1.41 and 3.58 for nitrate, nitrite and ammonium, respectively. This procedure allows the determination and speciation of inorganic nitrogen species in soils with a single injection in a simple way, and high sampling rate (18 h⁻¹). Detection limits of 0.013, 0.046 and 0.047 μg mL⁻¹were achieved for nitrate, nitrite and ammonium, respectively. In comparison with others methods, the proposed one is more simple, it uses as single chromogenic reagent less injection volume (250 mL in stead of 350 mL) and it has a higher sampling rate.     

Studies on elution conditions for the determination of anions by supressed ion-interaction chromatography using a graphitized carbon column

A new method has been developed for ion-interaction chromatography with suppressed conductivity detection and a new graphitized carbon packing, which is sintered from carbonic material at a high temperature. Combinations of various eluting agents, tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBA) and acetonitrile have been investigated to optimize the separation of eight common anions (F⁻, Cl⁻, NO₂⁻, Br⁻, NO₃⁻, SO₄²⁻, HPO₄²⁻ and I⁻). Calibration curves were linear from 0.5 to 10 μg/ml for F⁻, from 1.0 to 20 μg/ml for Cl⁻, NO₂⁻ and NO₃⁻, from 2.5 to 50 μg/ml for Br⁻ and SO₄²⁻ and from 5.0 to 100 μg/ml for HPO₄²⁻ and I⁻ with a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.999 or better. The relative standard deviations (R.S.D.s) of peak areas were between 0.2 and 0.9% for 10 repeated measurements. The application of this newly developed method was demonstrated by the determination of chloride, bromide and sulfate in pharmaceutical compounds using the direct injection method. The analytical results were within ±2% (relative) of the theoretical value, and thus in good agreement with the theoretical value for each sample.     

Turbidimetric determination of sulphate in waters employing flow injection and lead sulphate formation

An analytical flow-injection procedure based on PbSO₄ colloidal formation is proposed as a turbidimetric determination of sulphate in natural waters. Ethanol-water was used as a medium in order to improve the sensibility of the method. Both chemical and flow variables as well as interfering species were studied. A detection limit of 0.3 μg SO²⁻₄ ml⁻¹ was found, and the analytical range (according to Beer's law) was 2–20 μg SO²⁻₄ ml⁻¹. The precision was better than 3% R.S.D. and the sample throughput was ca. 35 h⁻¹. The method, when compared with a standard methodology, gave good results when applied to water analysis.     

Flow analysis-vapor phase generation-Fourier transform infrared (FA-VPG-FTIR) spectrometric determination of nitrite

In this work, the coupling between flow analysis (FA)–vapor phase generation (VPG) and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) has been proposed as a novel and alternative strategy for the determination of nitrite. The analyte was transformed into the gaseous nitric oxide (NO) by on-line reaction with potassium iodide (KI) or ascorbic acid in acidic medium. The gaseous NO generated was transported by means of a N₂ gas carrier stream inside the IR gas cell and the corresponding FTIR spectrum was acquired in a continuous mode. The absorbance at 1876 cm⁻¹, corrected by a baseline established between 1879 and 1872 cm⁻¹ at a nominal resolution of 2 cm⁻¹, was selected as a measurement criterion. The effect of different spectroscopic and flow analysis experimental parameters, such as nominal resolution, number of scans, reducing agent and its concentration, acidic medium, reagents and sample flow rates, and the carrier gas flow rate on the analytical signal, and then in the figures of merit were initially evaluated by using a standard short path length (10 cm) IR gas cell. The optimization of the system was carried out by the univariate method. The main aims of this study were: (i) to investigate the on-line generation of gaseous nitric oxide in a continuous flow system, and (ii) the use of Fourier transform infrared spectrometry as an alternative and selective detector for the determination of nitrite. The proposed method was initially tested and applied for the determination of nitrite in samples with very high concentration of nitrite, such as frankfurters.     

Determination of nanomolar concentrations of phosphate in freshwaters using flow injection with luminol chemiluminescence detection

A simple and rapid flow injection (FI) method is reported for the determination of phosphate (as molybdate reactive P) in freshwaters based on luminol chemiluminescence (CL) detection. The molybdophosphoric heteropoly acid formed by phosphate and ammonium molybdate in acidic conditions generated chemiluminescence emission via the oxidation of luminol. The detection limit (3× standard deviation of blank) was 0.03 μg P l⁻¹ (1.0 nM), with a sample throughput of 180 h⁻¹. The calibration graph was linear over the range 0.032–3.26 μg P l⁻¹ (r²=0.9880) with relative standard deviations (n=4) in the range 1.2–4.7%. Interfering cations (Ca(II), Mg(II), Ni(II), Zn(II), Cu(II), Co(II), Fe(II) and Fe(III)) were removed by passing the sample through an in-line iminodiacetate chelating column. Silicate interference (at 5 mg Si l⁻¹) was effectively masked by the addition of tartaric acid and other common anions (Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻, HCO₃⁻, NO₃⁻ and NO₂⁻) did not interfere at their maximum admissible concentrations in freshwaters. The method was applied to freshwater samples and the results (26.1±1.1–62.0±0.4 μg P l⁻¹) were not significantly different (P=0.05) from results obtained using a segmented flow analyser method with spectrophotometric detection (24.4±4.45–84.0±16.0 μg P l⁻¹).     

Determination of lead in seawater by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry after separation and pre-concentration with cocrystallized naphthalene alizarin

An analytical method for separation and pre-concentration of lead in seawater for determination by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry has been investigated. Lead was retained in the solid phase (0.5 g) composed of co-precipitated naphthalene and alizarin red. The solid phase quantitatively sorbs Pb(II) at pH 8–9, and the metal was eluted using 5.0 ml of 2 mol l⁻¹ nitric acid. The effect of NaCl, KCl, BaCl₂, CaCl₂, Na₂SO₄, MgCl₂ and Na₃PO₄ on the sorption of Pb(II) in the solid phase was studied. A set of solutions containing varying amounts of electrolytes (0.5; 1.0; 3.0 and 5.0% m/v) with Pb (50 μg) was prepared and the recommended procedure applied. The Na₃PO₄ was found to interfere; the other electrolytes did not interfere up to 5% m/v. A pre-concentration factor of 40 was obtained in this analytical procedure. The limit of detection and limit of quantification for Pb(II) were 53 and 176 μg l⁻¹, respectively. Lead was determined in seawater samples collected in Salvador city, Bahia, Brazil. The precision, expressed as R.S.D., was 1.8–4.6%, and the recovery of lead added to seawater samples was 95–97%.     

Evaluation of ammonia as diluent for serum sample preparation and determination of selenium by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

A method for the determination of total selenium in serum samples by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry was evaluated. The method involved direct introduction of 1:5 diluted serum samples (1% v/v NH₄OH+0.05% w/v Triton X-100^®) into transversely heated graphite tubes, and the use of 10 μg Pd+3 μg Mg(NO₃)₂ as chemical modifier. Optimization of the modifier mass and the atomization temperature was conducted by simultaneously varying such parameters and evaluating both the integrated absorbance and the peak height/peak area ratio. The latter allowed the selection of compromise conditions rendering good sensitivity and adequate analyte peak profiles. A characteristic mass of 49 pg and a detection limit (3s) of 6 μg 1⁻¹ Se, corresponding to 30 μg l⁻¹ Se in the serum sample, were obtained. The analyte addition technique was used for calibration. The accuracy was assessed by the determination of total selenium in Seronorm™ Trace Elements Serum Batch 116 (Nycomed Pharma AS). The method was applied for the determination of total selenium in ten serum samples taken from individuals with no known physical affection. The selenium concentration ranged between 79 and 147 μg l⁻¹, with a mean value of 114±22 μg l⁻¹.     

Spectrophotometric determination of nitrate and nitrite in soil and water samples with a diazotizable aromatic amine and coupling agent using column preconcentration on naphthalene supported with ion-pair of tetradecyldimethylbenzylammonium and iodide

Composite diazotization-coupling reagents containing sulfanilamide (SAM), sulfapyridine (SP) or sulfathiazole (ST) as the diazotizable aromatic amines and sodium 1-naphthol-4-sulfonate (NS) as the coupling agent using column preconcentration on naphthalene-tetradecyldimethylbenzylammonium(TDBA)-iodide adsorbent have been used for the spectrometric determination of trace nitrate and nitrite in soil and water samples. Nitrite ion reacts with SAM in the pH range 2.0–5.0, SP in the pH range 2.0–2.5 and ST in the pH range 2.0–3.3 in HCl medium to form water-soluble colourless diazonium cations. These cations were coupled with NS in the pH range 9.0–12.0 for the SAM system, 9.6–12.0 for the SP system and 8.5–12.0 for the ST system to be retained on naphthalene-TDBA-I material packed in a column. The solid mass is dissolved from the column with 5 ml of dimethylformamide and the absorbance is measured spectrometerically at 543 nm for SAM-NS, 533 nm for SP-NS and 535 nm for ST-NS. Nitrate is reduced to nitrite by a copper-coated cadmium reductor column and the nitrite is then treated with the diazotization-coupling reagent by column preconcentration. The absorbance due to the sum of nitrate and nitrite is measured and nitrate is determined by difference. The calibration graph was linear over the range 2–40 ng NO₂⁻-N ml⁻¹ and 1.5–30 ng NO₃⁻-N ml⁻¹ in aqueous samples for the SAM and ST systems and 2–48 ng NO₂⁻-N ml⁻¹ and 1.5–36 ng NO₃⁻-N ml⁻¹ in aqueous samples for the SP system, respectively. The sensitivity, accuracy and precision of the systems decreased in the order STSAMSP. The detection limits were 1.4 ng NO₂⁻-N ml⁻¹ and 1.1 ng NO₃⁻-N ml⁻¹ for SAM, 1.6 ng NO₂⁻-N ml⁻¹ and 1.2 ng NO₃⁻-N ml⁻¹ for SP, and 1.0 ng NO₂⁻-N ml⁻¹ and 0.75 ng NO₃⁻-N ml⁻¹ for ST, respectively. The preconcentration factors are 8, 5 and 6 for SAM-NS, SP-NS and ST-NS, respectively. Interferences from various foreign ions have been studied and the methods have been applied to the determination of ng ml⁻¹ levels of nitrite and nitrate in soil and water samples. The mean recovery was 95–102% for all three systems.     

Gas chromatographic determination of nitrite in water by precolumn formation of 2-phenylphenol with flame ionization detection

Nitrite can be determined by its reaction with 2-aminobiphenyl in acidic medium to produce 2-phenylphenol which is quantified by gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection using biphenyl as an internal standard. The hydrolysis of the intermediate diazonium ion avoids many of the problems encountered in the conventional determination of nitrite by the diazotization of an aromatic amine (usually sulphanilamide) and coupling with N-(1-napthyl)ethylenediamine dihydrochloride to yield an azo dye followed by spectrophotometry. Unlike this method, the proposed reaction is rapid and does not suffer from interferences by copper(II), iron(III) and lead(II). The calibration graph was linear over the range 5–1000 μg/l NO₂-N and the limit of detection found to be 0.5 μg/l NO₂-N. A single analysis can be completed within 20 min. The method was not affected by coloured or turbid analyte solutions and has been used to determine nitrite in natural waters.     

Speciation of iodate and iodide in seawater by non-suppressed ion chromatography with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

A non-suppressed ion chromatography (IC) with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) has been developed for simultaneous determination of trace iodate and iodide in seawater. An anion-exchange column (G3154A/101, provided by Agilent) was used for the separation of iodate and iodide with an eluent containing 20 mM NH₄NO₃ at pH 5.6, which reduced the build-up of salts on the sampler and skimmer cones. The influences of competing ion (NO₃⁻) in the eluent on the retention time and detection sensitivity were investigated to give reasonable resolution and detection limits. Linear plots were obtained in a concentration range of 5.0–500 μg/L and the detection limit was 1.5 μg/L for iodate and 2.0 μg/L for iodide. The proposed method was used to determinate iodate and iodide in seawaters without sample pre-treatment with exception of dilution.     

A sensitive flow-injection method for determination of trace amounts of nitrite

A new sensitive colour reaction for nitrite determination is presented. In acidic medium, nitrite was reacted with safranine to form a diazonium salt which caused the reddish-orange dye colour of the solution to change to blue. The carrier stream, into which the sample solution was injected, was doubly distilled water. The reagent solution stream, which contained safranine dye, hydrochloric acid and potassium chloride, was mixed with the carrier in a 3-m length of silicon tubing (bore 0.5 mm) maintained at 30°C in a thermostatic bath. The absorbance intensity was measured at 520 nm. The detection limit was 20 ng ml⁻¹ and the RSD% of 20 injections of 1 μg ml⁻¹ of nitrite was 0.65%. Analysis can be done at a rate of up to 30 h⁻¹. Under the optimum conditions in the concentration range of 30–4000 ng ml⁻¹ of nitrite ion, a linear calibration graph was obtained (r=0.9999). The method was applied successfully to the determination of nitrite in sausages.     

Titanium as a chemical modifier for the determination of cobalt in marine sediments

The determination of cobalt in marine sediments by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry was studied using no modifier and magnesium and titanium as modifiers. Titanium is one of the major sediment constituents, which widely affects the cobalt determination and it was studied as a chemical modifier since it was the only concomitant that increased the cobalt signal in the concentration range usually found in sediments. The performance of Mg and Ti as chemical modifiers was compared relative to maximum pyrolysis and atomization temperatures, linear calibration range, sensitivity and matrix effects. The pyrolysis curves showed that the analyte could be stabilized up to 1400 °C when either Ti or Mg(NO₃)₂ was present, while only 1000 °C could be used in the absence of a modifier. The optimum atomization temperature was 2500 °C in all cases. Analytical curves were compared using no modifier, 5 μg Ti and 100 μg Mg(NO₃)₂ as modifiers, and the linear range found was up to approximately 4 ng Co whether a modifier was used or not. With Ti as a chemical modifier, analytical curves for cobalt in aqueous solution and in a synthetic matrix resulted in the same sensitivity (m₀=55 pg), whereas the use of Mg led to characteristic mass values of 59 and 72 pg in aqueous solution and in a synthetic matrix, respectively, showing some matrix effect. The detection limits (3σ, n=10) were 0.4 μg g⁻¹ using no modifier and 0.3 μg g⁻¹ with Ti as a modifier in the original matrix. A reference estuarine sediment NIST 1646 with a non-certified content of 10.5 μg g⁻¹ Co was analyzed and the found value of 10.9±2.4 μg g⁻¹, (n=3), using Ti as chemical modifier and calibration against aqueous standards, was in good agreement with the recommended value.     

Rapid determination of aluminum by UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy with application of suitable adsorbents

Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) can be used as a rapid and sensitive method for the quantitative determination of low amounts of aluminum. In this analytical technique, the analyte in samples are extracted onto a solid sorbent matrix loaded with a colorimetric reagent and then quantified directly on the adsorbent surface. Alternatively, colored aluminum complexes formed in solution can also be immobilized onto adsorbent surface and be measured by DRS technique. Octadecyl silica disk, methyltrioctylammonium chloride–naphthalene and MCM-41 were examined as adsorbents. Eriochrome cyanine R and quinalizarin were used as coloring reagents. Optimal sorption conditions were found for each system of analyte–reagent–adsorbent. The concentration of analyte is determined using the appropriate form of the Kubelka–Munk function. We obtained for each of the aluminium–reagent–adsorbent system a calibration curve by plotting the absorbance versus the log 10²[Al³⁺] μg ml⁻¹. The linear dynamic range extends over two orders of magnitude within 0.01–15 μg ml⁻¹ with little differences in the range and in the correlation coefficients among the adsorbents. We consider that for a rapid determination of aluminum a spot-test-DRS combination with a detection limit of 1.0 × 10⁻² μg ml⁻¹ is the more facile and preferred technique.     

Kinetic spectrophotometric method for rapid determination of trace formaldehyde in foods

A simple and sensitive kinetic-spectrophotometric method was developed for the determination of ultra trace amount of formaldehyde in food samples. The method was based on the oxidation of rhodamine B (RhB) by potassium bromate in sulfuric acid medium (formaldehyde as catalyst). The reaction was monitored by measuring the decrease in absorbance of the dye at 515 nm after 6 min. The developed method allowed the determination of formaldehyde in the range of 10–100 μg L⁻¹ with good precision, accuracy and the detection limit was down to 2.90 μg L⁻¹. The relative standard deviations for the determination of 10 and 60 μg L⁻¹ of formaldehyde were 3.0% and 1.9% (n = 10), respectively. The method was found to be sensitive, selective and was applied to the determination of formaldehyde in foods with satisfactory results.     

Simultaneous determination of bromide and nitrate in contaminated waters by ion chromatography using amperometry and absorbance detectors

This study describes a new ion chromatography method using a low-capacity anion exchange column with amperometric and absorbance detection for rapid and simultaneous determination of Br⁻ and NO₃⁻ in contaminated waters where one of these ions is present in excess compared to other. The use of two detectors overcomes the problem of baseline separation for Br⁻ and NO₃⁻ for accurate quantification, which was commonly encountered when using a low-capacity anion exchange column and suppressed conductivity detection mode. The method achieved accurate quantification of these two ions without requirement of baseline separation. The accuracy of 2.8% for NO₃⁻ was determined using a quality control sample obtained from UN GEMS/Water PE Study No. 6. The detection limits for Br⁻ and NO₃⁻ were 20 and 6 μg l⁻¹ (25 μl sample), respectively. Linearity of these two ions was over three orders of magnitude with a correlation coefficient >0.998. The influence of potential interfering ions was also studied followed by the determination of Br⁻ and NO₃⁻ in seawater, unsaturated zone water, soil extract and groundwater.     

Rate constant of the reaction of NO3 with CH2I2 measured with use of cavity ring-down spectroscopy

We have applied cavity ring-down spectroscopy to a kinetic study of the reaction of NO₃ with CH₂I₂ in 25–100 Torr of N₂ diluent at 298 K. The rate constant of reaction of NO₃ + CH₂I₂ is determined to be (4.0 ± 1.2) × 10⁻¹³ cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹ in 100 Torr of N₂ diluent at 298 K. The rate constant increases with increasing pressure of buffer gas below 100 Torr. The reaction of CH₂I₂ with NO₃ has the potential importance at nighttime in the atmosphere.     

Hydrogen peroxide in basic media for whole blood sample dissolution for determination of its lead content by electrothermal atomization atomic absorption spectrometry

Hydrogen peroxide in basic media is proposed as a means for dissolving whole blood samples to be analyzed by electrothermal atomization atomic absorption spectrometry, ET AAS. Approximately 2 g of the whole blood sample were directly weighed in a 150 mL volumetric flask; 3 mL of a NaOH 0.2 mol L⁻¹ solution, two drops of 1-octanol, as an antifoaming agent, and 1 mL of 30% volume hydrogen peroxide were added to the flask to promote oxidation. The solution was then manually shaken and after approximately three minutes of shaking, a clear solution, with no apparent suspended solids or greasy layers, was obtained. Distilled-deionized water was used to complete the volume. Ten μL of the resulting solution along with 10 μL of a solution containing 5000 mg L⁻¹ of NH₄H₂PO₄ and 300 mg L⁻¹ of Mg(NO₃)₂ as a modifier, were injected into transversely heated graphite tubes for lead determination. Both aqueous standards and standard addition calibration curves produced results not significantly different at a 95% confidence limit level. Accuracy of the measurements was assessed by analysis of the IAEA A-13 (concentration of trace and minor elements in freeze dried animal blood) standard reference material containing 0.18 mg L⁻¹ lead on a dry basis and by means of recovery tests. Analysis of the IAEA A-13 standard produced 0.17 ± 0.02 mg L⁻¹ lead on a dry basis; recovery tests afforded values from 95 to 105%. Ten consecutive measurements of a 5 ppb lead solution gave a characteristic mass of 47.2 pg and a (3S) detection limit of 1.77 μg L⁻¹ Pb. Results obtained from analysis of whole blood samples of volunteer donors covered a lead concentration range between 8 and 21 μg L⁻¹ with a mean value of 11.9 ± 4.7 μg L⁻¹.