Multielemental characterization of airborne particulate matter collected in Bucharest and Tokushima by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry.

ABSTRACT

Airborne particulate matter (PM) collected in Bucharest (Romania) and Tokushima (Japan) was comprehensively characterized through multielemental analysis by ICP-MS to the PM samples. Prior to an elemental characterization of the sample, a multielemental determination method composed of acid digestion (HClO(4)/HNO(3)/HF or H(2)O(2)/HNO(3)/HF) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry/inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-MS/ICP-AES) was established to analyze a certified reference material of vehicle exhaust matter (NIES No. 8) for verifying the method. As the results, 39 elements in the certified reference material could be determined. They were a good agreement with the certified and reference values for HClO(4)/HNO(3)/HF acid digestion. Chalcophile elements, such as cadmium, antimony, and lead in Bucharest showed higher enrichment factors than those in Tokushima.