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Abstract
An improved anodic stripping voltammetric procedure for the simultaneous determination of Zn(II), Cd(II), Pb(II) and Cu(II), which uses a mixed technique (DP-AC1-DP) for potential scanning in the stripping step, is developed. A small-volume electrolysis cell (1-mL) is used requiring rather small amounts of aerosol sample. The procedure reaches a low detection limit in the determination of some of the ecotoxic metals which are found at very low concentration range in atmospheric aerosols. Thus, it enables the study of short-term variations in the atmospheric pollution caused by these metal ions. The figures of merit of the method are given, and the minimum values of the concentration ratios of the four metal ions for no interference due to intermetallic effects are determined. The improved ASV method has been applied to check two suburban industrial areas near Barcelona which can be carried out on samples collected over 1-hour and even ½-hour periods.