Monitoring of heavy metal lead in environmental water sample by single-wall carbon nanotubes preconcentration hyphenated with ICP-MS

In order to evaluate the effects of heavy metals discharged in the use of fossil energy sources on the environment, a novel method using a microcolumn packed with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) as a new adsorption material was developed for the preconcentration of trace Pb in environmental water sample prior to its monitoring by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The adsorption behaviors of the analytes on SWNTs under dynamic conditions were studied systematically. The main factors influencing the preconcentration and monitoring of the analytes have been examined in detail. Under the optimum conditions, the detection limit for Pb was 5.4 pg mL^-11; the relative standard deviation (RSD) was 3.9% (n= 9, c=1.0 ng mL^-l). This method was successfully applied for the monitoring of trace heavy metal Pb in real water sample with the recoveries of 96.0-105%.