Field tests for the detection of lead in soil are not frequently accepted, since the tests are rather cumbersome or not reliable for screening determinations. Recently, we developed the LEADQuick field test kit for the detection of lead in water with 3 µg/L sensitivity. This test is further modified to detect lead in soil with a sensitivity 0.03 µg. We developed an extraction protocol using nitric acid and potassium nitrate for the extraction of lead from soil. Most of the organic and inorganic compounds of lead are readily extracted as Pb2+ using the developed extraction procedure and are detected using the LEADQuick field test kit. The solubility of the lead salts in the soil is adequate for a quick extraction procedure without any heating. The experimental details, results of the soil testing and interferences are presented. This will demonstrate the potential application of our extraction procedure along with LEADQuick field test kit for soil lead monitoring.
JAUNAKAIS, IVARS; TATINENI, BALAJI; and JAUNAKAIS, MARIS
"New Field Test for Lead (Pb2+) in Soil,"
International Journal of Soil, Sediment and Water:
2, Article 10.
Available at: http://scholarworks.umass.edu/intljssw/vol3/iss2/10