Abstract
A highly sensitive method was developed for the determination of cadmium, lead and zinc in natural waters by atomic absorption spectrometry after coprecipitation with 8-quinolinol. Quantitative recoveries of the metals were possible over the pH range 8-10 when magnesium was present as a carrier ion. The precipitates thus formed were analyzed directly by an atomic absorption spectrometer equipped with a specially deviced graphite furnaceand a miniature cup. Reliability of this procedure was confirmed by the determination of the metals in lake and
river water samples. For the analysis of a 400-cm3 portion of water sample, detection limits(3σb) for Cd(II), Pb(II)
and Zn(II) are 0.6, 2.3 and 1.9ng dm-3, respectively. A corresponding precision of 3-5% was typical.
