Multielemental analyses of environmental and geological samples by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Miscellaneous · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1993

OSTI ID:7105441

Wu, Xiaowen

The technique of inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) has been applied to determine trace elements in environmental (drinking water and tree rings) and geological (soil) samples. Most of this monograph is focused on analysis in these samples of rare-earth elements and lead, which have lower detection limits in ICP-MS than in other analytical techniques. A brief history of ICP-MS and discussions of fundamental principles of the instrument, interferences of the method, and common analytical protocols are provided. The application of the technique to four projects is described: (1) Quantitative analysis of rare-earth elements in individual tree rings of fire-scarred trees was performed. The result showed that the concentrations of La, Pr, and Nd are highest in the ring corresponding to the fire year. (2) Lead pollution in drinking water from New York City was investigated by measuring lead concentration and the isotope ratio of [sup 206]Pb/[sup 207]Pb in drinking water samples and in the suspected polluting sources. It was found that lead in drinking water mainly comes from lead pipe and plumbing materials containing high concentrations of lead. In addition, optimization of the operating parameters and enhancement of lead signal were also discussed in the chapter. (3) Lead concentration in soil and in annual-growth rings of trees from streets in Brookyln, New York were analyzed. The change of lead concentration in the rings from 1952 to 1991 correlates with the consumption of lead in gasoline in the United States during the same period. The study showed that tree rings can be used as an indirect historical indicator of environmental changes during the tree's lifetime. (4) Rare-earth-element ratios in archaeological tree samples were measured to determine the original locations of the samples. In Appendix I, application of proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE) to analysis of wood samples is briefly discussed.

• Research Organization: City Univ. of New York, NY (United States)
• OSTI ID: 7105441
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Thesis (Ph.D.)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
DRINKING WATER
ICP MASS SPECTROSCOPY
LEAD
ABUNDANCE
RARE EARTHS
SOILS
TREE RINGS
LEAD 206
LEAD 207
POLLUTION SOURCES
ELEMENTS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
HEAVY NUCLEI
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
LEAD ISOTOPES
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
METALS
MILLISEC LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
NUCLEI
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RADIOISOTOPES
SECONDS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
SPECTROSCOPY
STABLE ISOTOPES
WATER
540320* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
540220 - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)