DETERMINATION OF CADMIUM AND LEAD IN AEROSOLS IN THE ZASAVJE REGION IN SLOVENIA EMPLOYING SLURRY ELECTROTHERMAL ATOMIC-ABSORPTION SPECTROMETRY

Investigations of air pollution were carried out in the Zasavje urban industrialized region in Slovenia. Cadmium and lead were measured in r espirable (< 2.5 mu m) and inhalable (2.5-10 mu m) aerosols. Special p umps were equipped with a Nucleopore-Costar polycarbonate membrane fil ters. Cadmium and lead were measured in those filters by slurry electr othermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) on a laboratory-assemb led atomic absorption spectrometer with a graphite cup atomizer. A rel iability of the employed technique was proved by analysis of the same filters with classical dissolution of aerosol particles in diluted nit ric acid and measurement of cadmium and lead by flame atomic absorptio n spectrometry (FAAS). Good agreement (+/-5-10%) of the results was ob tained between the two techniques for both elements. The study indicat ed that cadmium and lead in a contaminated area prevailed in the respi rable (< 2.5 mu m) aerosols. The employed technique was sensitive enou gh for measurement of cadmium and lead also in non-polluted sites.