Determination of cadmium, copper and lead in natural waters after anion-exchange separtion.

A method is described for the determination of cadmium, copper and lead in samples of natural non-saline waters. After acidification with hydrobromic acid, the water sample is filtered and, following the addition of ascorbic acid, passed through a column of the strongly basic anion-exchange resin Dowex 1-X8 (bromide form). On this exchanger cadmium(II). copper(I) and lead(II) are adsorbed as anionic bromide complexes. After elution of these elements with 1 M nitric acid, the determinations by atomic absorption spectrometry are carried out in a medium consisting of 90% ($\text{v}\text{v}$) methanol and 10% ($\text{v}\text{v}$) 1.5 M hydrobromic acid. The procedure was used for the routine determination of cadmium, copper and lead in water samples collected in Austria.