LEAD HYDRIDE GENERATION ATOMIC-ABSORPTION SPECTROMETRY - AN ALTERNATIVE TO ELECTROTHERMAL ATOMIC-ABSORPTION SPECTROMETRY

Historical, theoretical and practical aspects of lead hydride generati on and its application to spectrochemical analysis, especially atomic absorption spectrometry, are reviewed. Lead hydride generation conditi ons (particularly the need to use oxidizing agents), possible generati on and atomization mechanisms and interferences are described and disc ussed in detail. The main applications of lead hydride generation atom ic absorption spectrometry to the determination of lead in a wide vari ety of matrices and its advantages over graphite furnace atomic adsorp tion spectrometry in the determination of low levels of lead are addre ssed.