Hanka Gramowska

Determination of lead in plants in controlling phytoremediation processes using slurry sampling electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

The comparative determination of lead in plant samples by two atomic spectrometric techniques is reported. At first, slurry sampling electrothermal atomisation atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) was applied. The results obtained were compared with those found after a wet digestion procedure by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) or ETAAS. The accuracy of the studied methods was checked using a certified reference material (CL − 1 CRM, Cabbage Leaves). The recovery of lead was 90% for slurry sampling ETAAS, and 86.6% for liquid sampling ETAAS. The advantages of the slurry sampling ETAAS method are the simplicity of sample preparation and very good sensitivity.

Environmental applications of ICP-MS for simultaneous determination of trace elements and statistical data analysis

Water samples collected from two lakes separated from each other by the cascade of four small lowland reservoirs were subjected to analyses in order to compare contamination levels in these ecosystems. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used to determine eight elements: Al, As, Cd, Cr, Li, Mn, Sb, and Zn. Statistical methods were applied in order to assess the degree of self-purification of water, during its flow from Swarzędzkie Lake to Malta Lake. Obtained distinctly, lower concentrations of all studied elements in Malta Lake than in Swarzędzkie Lake indicated the role of self-purification processes, which occurred in the distance between these lakes.

Simultaneous determination of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn in sewage sludge by slurry introduction ICP-OES method.

In order to evaluate the slurry nebulisation method as an alternative method for analysis of sewage sludge, the metal content of sludge samples of different origins was determined. The concentrations of six elements: Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn were determined by introducing the sludge as a slurry into an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES). Calibration was performed by using aqueous standard solutions. For comparison, the sewage sludge was also digested by microwave digestion and introduced into the plasma as an aqueous solution. The accuracy of the method was checked by analysing a sewage sludge certified reference material (CRM 007-040 Sewage Sludge). The Students t-test showed that values obtained using slurry nebulisation were close to the certified values at a 95% confidence level. The values of elements Cd 11.1 ± 0.8; Cr 37.7 ± 3.3; Cu 563.3 ± 38.4; Pb 119.2 ± 10.1; Zn 729 ± 68.2 mg kg−1 obtained using this method were comparable with those obtained using the conventional method. The slurry method can, therefore, be successfully applied to the determination of content of each element in sewage sludge with RSD less than 3%, without the need to predissolve them. This could avoid the use of hazardous chemicals, incomplete dissolution and loss of volatile analytes.

Estimation of the lake water pollution by determination of 18 elements using ICP-MS method and their statistical analysis.

Eighteen elements (Al, As, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, Sb, Sr and Zn) were determined in water taken from Malta Lake. All the analyses were made using the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry method (ICP-MS). In our investigations we focused on the variability of the element content in water from a number of sampling stations and over different seasons. The obtained results were submitted to statistical analysis. First, the results were interpreted using the analysis of variance test (ANOVA). This has revealed differences in concentration for the majority of elements with regard to seasons. Then, cluster analysis (CA) and factor analysis (FA) were applied to explore similarities between sampling stations. Neither of these have demonstrated any grouping. Finally, factor analysis and principal component analysis (PCA), applied to show the grouping of elements, revealed how different sampling stations are related to each other.According to guidelines for the approval of pesticides, information about effects of pesticides on soil microorganisms and soil fertility are required, but the relationships of different structures of pesticides on the growth of various groups of soil microorganisms are not easily predicted. Some pesticides stimulate the growth of microorganisms, but other pesticides have depressive effects or no effects on microorganisms. For examples, carbofuran stimulated the population of Azospirillum and other anaerobic nitrogen fixers in flooded and non-flooded soil, but butachlor reduced the population of Azospirillum and aerobic nitrogen fixers in non-flooded soil. Diuron and chlorotoluron showed no difference between treated and nontreated soil, and linuron showed a strong difference. Phosphorus(P)-contains herbicides glyphosate and insecticide methamidophos stimulated soil microbial growth, but other P-containing insecticide fenamiphos was detrimental to nitrification bacteria. Therefore, the following review presents some data of research carried out during the last 20 years. The effects of twenty-one pesticides on the soil microorganisms associated with nutrient and cycling processes are presented in section 1, and the applications of denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) for studying microbial diversity are discussed in section 2.

Distribution of total mercury and methyl mercury in water, sediment and fish from Swarze¸dzkie lake

Concentrations of total mercury and methyl mercury were determined in water, sediment and fish collected from Swarze¸dzkie lake in order to understand their distribution and partitioning which are not well known. Samples of water and sediments were collected at 11 locations. Water THg (total mercury) concentrations ranged from 155 to 342 ng l−1 and MeHg (methyl mercury) ranged from 21.7 to 36.5 ng l−1. Total mercury concentrations in sediments ranged from 76 to 880 μg kg−1 dry wt. Methyl mercury accounted for, on average, 1.32 % of total mercury in sediment. The concentrations of total mercury in fish muscle were between 0.25 and 2.95 μg kg−1 wet wt, with methyl mercury contributing 87.3 % of total mercury. Methyl mercury concentrations in fish muscle were directly proportional to total mercury concentrations and ranged between 0.18 and 2.63 μg kg−1 wet wt.

Determination of selenium in infant foods using electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry with direct slurry sample introduction

Slurry sampling electrothermal atomic absorption (SS ETAAS) was applied to the development of a sensitive and precise method for selenium determination in infant foods without sample pretreatment. Suspensions prepared in a medium containing 0.1% Triton X-100, 0.5 or 5% v/v concentrated HNO3 were directly introduced into the furnace. The accuracy of the procedure was confirmed by analysis of a standard reference material and comparison with hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometric (HGAAS) procedure. The characteristic mass is 44 pg and detection limit 0.43 μg·l−1.

Inorganic and methyl-mercury speciation in sediments of the Swarzędzkie Lake

Sediment samples were analysed for mercury and methylmercury content in different parts of the bottom sediment of Swarz ędzkie Lake, which were influenced by different external pollution sources. The results of determination with two methods of mineralization using two separate media (HNO3/H2O2 and HF) were compared. The accuracy of the studied methods was analysed using certified reference material IAEA 405 of river sediment. The recovery of mercury was satisfactory and ranged from 97.5 to 98.8%. Methylmercury compounds in the studied sediments were found in limited concentrations. Their concentrations ranged from 0.26 to 58.1 μg kg−1, i.e. 1.0–7.4% of the total mercury content. The depth profile displayed high values of both total and methylmercury content at a depth of 10–20 cm, related to the heavy pollution of the lake in the 1980s. Canonical analysis displayed the relationship of both total mercury and methylmercury concentrations with organic matter and phosphorus content in bottom sediments.

ICP slurry introduction for simple and rapid determination of Pb, Mg and Ca in plant roots

Pb, Mg and Ca were simultaneously determined in plant roots by slurry introduction into inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (SS-ICP-OES). Slurries were prepared in 0.5% or 5% (v/v) HNO3 with 0.5, or 5% (v/v) Triton X-100. Omission of the Triton X-100 improved results. Compared with wet ashing of the root sample followed by ICP-OES, ICP-MS and FAAS, the method offers: comparable results, simplification of sample preparation, less sample contamination, and reduction in the use of dangerous and corrosive reagents. The precisions varied: 1.7% for Mg, 2.8% for Ca and 4.3% for Pb, and were not significantly different (95% confidence level) from those of conventional analysis.

Determination of vanadium content in soils by slurry sampling electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry using KO300G as the stabilizing agent

A direct and sensitive method for the determination of vanadium concentrations in soil is developed using ultrasonic slurry sampling electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (USSSETAAS). The surfactant, KO300G, is used as the stabilizing agent. The precision and accuracy of the method are investigated. The detection limits are 0.6 and 0.7 µg 1−1 for SRM Montana Soil 2711 and SRM Soil — S, respectively. The method is applied to determine the vanadium content in 10 soil samples from the Wielkopolska region.

Temporal Trends of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Precipitation of Poznań and Its Vicinity (Poland)

Abstract Samples of precipitation: rain, sleet and snow, were collected at the centre of the city of Poznań and in the Wielkopolski National Park. Samples were collected from 26 Nov. 1996 to 20 Nov. 1999. PAHs were isolated by extraction in the system liquid-solid state (columns for SPE and a Speedisk-adsorbent C18). Determination was performed on a liquid chromatograph HPLC. The breakdown curves for naphthalene (SPE, Empore and Speedisk) were given. The main PAHs occurring in the samples from the city and from the National Park area were naphthalene and anthracene. The other PAH compounds occurred at much lower concentrations. The content of benzo[a]pyrene did not exceed the permissible level. Significant differences were noted in the content of certain PAHs depending on the kind of precipitation. Differences in PAHs concentrations were also observed between the precipitation samples collected in winter and spring. The results of PAH determinations over the few years of observation, from 1996 to 1999, prove a decrease in the contents of the majority of PAHs in precipitation, which is directly related to intense modernisation of the system of central heating and the changeover from coal to gas heating.