Determination of lead by hydride generation and atomization under low pressure using atomic absorption spectrometry

A method has been developed for the determination of lead by a low pressure electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometric technique with hydride generation. The lead hydride is generated by adding 10% m/v sodium tetrahydroborate solution to the acidified sample containing an oxidant in a sub-atmospheric pressure generator using a vacuum pump. The liberated hydride is passed directly into an evacuated, heated quartz tube. The proposed method gives improved sensitivity. The detection limit (3σ) is 0.10 ng ml–1 and the relative standard deviation obtained from ten replicate determinations of 0.5 ng of lead is 4.8%. The method is applied to the determination of lead in standard river sediments. Good accuracy and precision are obtained.