Determination of Cd and Pb in sediment without sample preparation

By using direct solid sampling technique samples can be measured without time-consuming preparation. Thus, total analysis time and blank problems caused by chemicals used for sample preparation are reduced to a minimum.

Sediments act as archives, where changing conditions can be traced for heavy metal cycling in the geo- and atmosphere. Thus the increased emission of trace elements related to industrial or mining activities is known to enhance significantly the total trace element concentrations in lake sediments as compared to natural background levels. In this respect, the metal concentration profile in sediments can be followed and besides active and passive contamination studies, renaturation programs of the water bodies can be configured.

In the following, a time efficient direct solid sampling technique for complex metallic matrices is presented and the advantages of the simplified line selection in the absorption spectrum are highlighted.