DIRECT DETERMINATION OF LEAD IN ALCOHOLIC DRINKS AND WATERS BY FLAME ATOMIC-ABSORPTION SPECTROMETRY USING AN ATOM-TRAPPING TECHNIQUE

A new method is described for the direct dertermination of lead in alc oholic drinks and various water samples by atomic absorption spectrome try using a water-cooled stainless-steel tube as a collector for lead atoms in an air-acelylene flame. The influence of different conditions on the sensitivity for lead was investigated. The characteristic conc entrations of lead for the method were 0.044 and 0.0055 mu g ml(-1) wh en collecting for 1 and 5 min, respectively. A 10-190-fold improvement in sensitivity for lead was obtained as compared with conventional fl ame atomic absorption spectrometry. A series of alcoholic drinks and w ater samples were analysed successfully with a relative standard devia tion of 2.7-5.1%.