OPTIMIZATION OF THE ANALYTICAL PROCEDURE FOR CR, CU, NI, AND PB DETERMINATION BY ICP-AES IN MUNICIPAL LANDFILL LEACHATES

An ICP-AES-based procedure to determine Cr, Cu, Ni, and Pb in landfill leachates was optimized. Comparison of the performance of two different concentric nebulizers (Meinhard and Zr-cone Jobin-Yvon) was considered both with and without pretreatment of the samples. Moreover, calibration by standards of different composition was used and compared to the standard addition procedure. The matrix effect depended on the different experimental conditions. By using the Zr-cone Jobin-Yvon nebulization system and calibrating with standard solutions of saline contents similar to those of the leachate the matrix effect was satisfactorily compensated. Deviations from the reference concentration values were, in this case, less than 5% for all the metals considered. (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc.