Trace determination of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in annual growth rings by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry

Summary A new voltammetric procedure has been developed for the determination of toxic heavy metals in annual growth rings. The method is based on a wet digestion of minute quantities of wood material of 10–25 mg with an acid mixture of HNO₃ and HClO₄ in a quartz cup and the subsequent simultaneous determination of Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV) at the hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE). The accuracy of the method has been proved by using electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry as an independent procedure. The problems of the contamination by ubiquitous heavy metals during the wet digestion were investigated and their influence on the results was effectively diminished. Losses of the studied metals have not been observed. The high sensitivity of the method enables the determination of the toxic metals Pb and Cd in the analyte of the wet digestion with a relative standard deviation of less than 20% in the low level range 0.1–4 g/l.The potentialities of the method have been shown in the determination of Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn in cores of oak (Quercus petraea) from Königstein (Taunus, FRG). The high sensitivity made it possible to analyze individual growth rings and thus to avoid damages on trees using an excessive quantity of material. In two samples taken as example a distinct increase of the concentration of Cd and Pb during the last decade indicates metal pollution of the region by atmospheric precipitates.

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Spurenbestimmung von Cd, Cu, Pb und Zn in Jahresringen mit Hilfe der Differentialpuls-ASV

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Attached from the Institute of Chemistry, Universidad del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile. Taken in part from the Ph.D. Thesis, University in Bonn