Method for the determination of the priority pollutant metals by HPLC

Journal Article · Tue May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1990 · Journal of Chromatographic Science; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1093/chromsci/28.5.225· OSTI ID:6013218

Shofstahl, J H; Hardy, J K ^[1]

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1. Millipore Corporation, Milford, MA (USA)

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) currently specifies atomic absorption spectrophotometry as the method of analysis for the priority pollutant metals. While the method is very sensitive, it does suffer from limitations. As an alternative, the use of dibenzyldithiocarbamate (DBDC) to complex the priority pollutant metals from the sample, with subsequent separation of the complexes by liquid chromatography and quantification by ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry, is reported. Of the thirteen priority pollutant metals, ten can be determined with the method (Cd, Cu, Cr, Hg, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Tl, and Zn). Of the remaining priority pollutant metals, beryllium was not investigated, while silver and arsenic did not form complexes with DBDC. In addition, one potential interference, manganese, can be determined. Cobalt is added as an internal standard. Separation of the complexes on a C18 column is achieved with a quaternary solvent system consisting of 64% methanol, 12% acetonitrile, 5% tetrahydrofuran, and 19% pH 5 acetate buffer. Detection limits range from a low of 0.1 ppb (ng/mL) for selenium to a high of 1.8 ppb for thallium.

• OSTI ID: 6013218
• Journal Information: Journal of Chromatographic Science; (USA), Journal Name: Journal of Chromatographic Science; (USA) Vol. 28:5; ISSN 0021-9665; ISSN JCHSB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540320* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ANTIMONY
BUFFERS
CADMIUM
CHROMATOGRAPHY
CHROMIUM
COBALT
COMPLEXES
COPPER
ELEMENTS
EXTRACTION
LEAD
LIQUID COLUMN CHROMATOGRAPHY
MANGANESE
MERCURY
METALS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NICKEL
POLLUTION
SELENIUM
SEMIMETALS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
THALLIUM
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
US EPA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WATER POLLUTION
ZINC