ICP-MS might be your method of choice.

1) ICP-MS : Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

2) Ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy

In heavy determination, Inductive Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS) is preferred to AAS because of its high precision and detection limit. Furthermore, other high-sensitive spectroscopy methods such as flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS) and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy (GFAAS) and inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) have been widely applied in the measurement/determination of heavy metals.

You are asking a very general question. You will find answers to such questions in textbooks or, for example, in Wikipedia. There are several measurement techniques commonly used to determine concentrations or content of heavy (and other) elements. Larger commercial laboratories typically have several complementary techniques (FAAS, GFAAS, ICP-AES, ICP-MS, XRF, ...). Which technique is best, and to what extent, depends on the type of your samples and your metrological requirements. Describe what are the samples in terms of the matrix (e.g. water, plant, soil, etc. samples), which elements are you interested in and at what, approximately, levels of content these elements are present in these samples? What are your requirements for the quality of test results for individual elements? Are they to be made according to specific standards? How many of these samples belonging to a given matrix type will be to be analyzed at one time, and how many in total and in what period of time. Do you have the results of previous chemical (elemental) analyzes of these or similar samples? Do you know what the average cost of performing such analyzes by a commercial laboratory is? An advance payment will be required. Other detailed aspects of the possible procurement of an analytical service should be agreed with the laboratory, e.g. the method of collecting, storing, transporting and transferring the samples to the laboratory.

Depending on the heavy metal e.g. Lead can be measured using lead Care machine using biosensors

ICP-MS and Ion chromatograph

Hi Mina:

As already mentioned, this is a very general question. Your choice depends on the nature of the samples, required limit of detection (LOD), access to the type of instrument, the available budget (if you plan to purchase an instrument), etc.

One very important factor to consider (not mentioned) is that ICP-ES/ICP-MS are multi element techniques (MS being more sensitive than ES), as opposed to FAA, GFAA in general, if you plan to determine several. If you have sufficient funds, and anticipate future expansion to measurements of other trace elements with very low LODs, ICP-MS would be the best investment. As the things get more sophisticated, it generally demands for more operator's skills.

Regards, Nimal

The term heavy metal refers to any metallic chemical element that has a relatively high density and is toxic or poisonous at low concentrations. Examples of heavy metals include mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), thallium (Tl), and lead (Pb).

Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES) as a multielement plasma technique can be applied to the successful determination of heavy metals in environmental samples (soils, sediment and similar materials). Extraction of trace elements soluble in aqua regia was used as a decomposition method in accordance with ISO 11466: 1995 (E)

References

[1] N. Daskalova and Iv. Boevski, Spectral interferences in the determination of trace elements in environmental materials by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry, Spectrochim.Acta, Part B 54, (1999) 1099 - 1122

[2]. Velitchkova, E. N. Pentcheva, N. Daskalova, Determination of arsenic, mercury, selenium, thallium, tin and bismuth in environmental materials by inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry, Spectrochim Acta Part B 59 (2004) 871- 882.

ICP-MS would be better choice.

ICP-MS measures a wide range of metals. I believe it would serve you better and accurately.

What is the method for measuring heavy metals other than Atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS)?

This question is a very general. There is not information for the type of samples. There I will note the following :

Modern science and different practical tasks maintain an interest in methods, which ensure the following important characteristics: (a) multielement analysis of a wide variety of sample types; (b) It must be able to detect large number of elements at threshold concentration levels for a different type of samples in accordance with the corresponding requirements. Among the modern instrumental methods for determination of trace elements, ICP-MS) and (ICP-AES) are very powerful.

General problems:

ICP-MS:

1. Spectral interferences: Interference by isobaric elements,

Interference by poly-atomic ions

2. Non-spectral interferences: Interference by carry-over,

Interference through physical properties of the analysis solution

ICP-AES:

Spectral interferences: The prime effect of spectral interferences is a decrease in Signal-to background ratio (SBR) as a result of enhanced background due to recombination continua, stray light, line wings, or direct line overlap.

Non-spectral interference The matrix constituent of the sample may change the sensitivity of the net analyse signal so that the SBR is modified.The effect may be positive or negative.

We must help of our colleague not only by drown attention to different instrumental methods, other than AAS, but to show the problems and possibilities of these methods.

There I will pay attention on the quoted papers:

May research group has experience in the determination of As, B,

Ba, Be, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, P, Pb, Sb, Se, Sn, Tl, U and Zn in all environmental materials, which contain high concentrations of aluminium, calcium, magnesium, iron, titanium, potassium and sodium by ICP-AES by using 27.12 MHz ICP and practical spectral bandwidth 15.6 pm [1] and in determination of As, Hg, Se, Tl, Sn, Bi, Zn, Cd, Sb, Cu, Mn, Pb, Sn, Cr, U, and Ba by using 40.68MHz ICP. The measurements were performed in the 2nd order of the spectrum (practical spectral bandwidth 5 pm) for the most prominent lines of As, Hg, Se, Tl, Sn, Bi Zn, Cd, Sb, Mn, Pb, Sn, and Cr with wavelengths in the spectral region 160–320 nm. The wavelengths of the most prominent lines of Cu, U, and Ba lie in the spectral region 320–800 nm, and the measurements were made in the 1st order (practical spectral bandwidth 10 pm [2,3].

The quoted papers include the following data:

1. The detection limits in pure solvent by using different prominent lines and two ICP-AES with various resolving power. There must note that the detection limits in pure solvent cannot be transferred directly to real samples with different matrix constituents because of spectral interference.

2. Essential information on the spectral interferences. This information is needed because the background under a prominent line cannot be directly measured and, in addition, varies with the sample composition.The correct background correction ensures the accuracy of analytical results.

3. The optimum line selection for trace analysis of a variety of multi component matrices requires the choice of prominent lines, which are free or negligibly influenced by line interference problems. The selected prominent lines of analyses ensure the lowest possible detection limits in the presence of the corresponding matrix.

4. Influence of excitation temperature (Texc ) of ICP on the magnitude of spectral interference and the detection limits was investigated. Texc. = 7200 K was chosen as the optimal excitation temperature in the determination of above mention elements.

The both, the accuracy of the analytical results and the detection limits are of prime importance for different branches of science and industry.

Heavy metals can be measured using High-Sensitivity techniques such as Flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS) and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy (GFAAS) inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS)

Thank you and Kind Regards

Dr Gabriel Ike Obiefuna

YES. This is true, but the question is: What is the method for measuring heavy metals other than Atomic absorption spectrometry ?

Kind regards

N. Daskalova

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Nonka-Daskalova

Read the previous answers, that answer this question!

ICP-MS is well known technique to measures a wide range of metals at very low levels also.