A Novel and Simple Method for Elements Determination in Aerobiological Samples by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) Analysis

Abstract

The identification of heavy metals in the atmosphere has increased a strong and growing interest. Thereby, monitoring of elements in aerobiological samples could be a powerful tool for detection of environmental pollution. In this work, a simple and fast method for the determination of trace metals bound to aeroparticles such as pollen was optimized. A single-step procedure for the dissolution of aerobiological samples in nitric acid and further determination by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) with a high-efficiency sample introduction system was developed. The procedure involved low dilution and low detection limits with adequate precision and its direct introduction into the ICP-MS system. The novel method proposed was successfully applied to determine five elements in concentrations from 0.04 mg g−1 (U) to 14.1 mg g−1 (Mn) in aerobiological samples. Through this procedure, the most significant correlations between pollen of Cupressaceae, Ulmus, and Moraceae with Mn, and pollen of Moraceae with Pb were found. This methodology could be a very useful tool to assess air pollution. We are not only proposing a new strategy to analyze air samples particles but also giving new information of the elemental composition carried by pollen.