DETERMINATION OF CADMIUM, LEAD, AND NICKEL BY SIMULTANEOUS MULTIELEMENT FLAME ATOMIC-ABSORPTION SPECTROMETRY IN BURNED AND UNBURNED VENEZUELAN CRUDE-OIL

This work describes the use of simultaneous multielement flame atomic absorption spectrometry for the determination of cadmium, lead, and ni ckel in burned and unburned Venezuelan crude oil (5 mi volumes) in con trolled laboratory experiments. The simultaneous detection limits were 0.010 mu g ml(-1) (Cd), 0.04 mu g ml(-1) (Pb), and 0.40 mu g ml(-1)(N i) with precision's of these elements at concentrations of 10 x above these detections limits, and in the crude oil, of 1-2%. Loss of elemen tal concentrations in the crude oh in a 3-5 mi volume when burned were 4% (Cd), 50% (Pb), and 22% (Ni). These results suggest that the form of the elements and the temperature attained in the burning crude oil effect the removal of the elements. The type of surface affected the v olume of oil removed. Soil gave a 15% and a smooth surface almost 50% volume reduction. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.