Determination of cadmium and lead in vegetables by stripping chronopotentiometry

A method for the determination of cadmium and lead in vegetables by stripping chronopotentiometric analysis, after digestion of the sample with concentrated sulphuric acid and dry-ashing, is described. Metal ions were concentrated as their amalgams on a glassy carbon-working electrode previously coated with a thin mercury film and then stripped by a suitable oxidant. Potential and time data were digitally derived and E was plotted versus dt/dE−1, thus increasing both the sensitivity of the method and the resolution of the analysis. Quantitative analysis was carried out by the method of standard addition; good linearity was obtained in the range of examined concentrations, as was shown by the determination coefficients, which were 0.998 (n = 4) for cadmium and 0.993 (n = 4) for lead. Recoveries of 85–100% for cadmium and of 84–97% for lead were obtained from a sample spiked at different levels. Accuracy was demonstrated by analysis of a matching reference sample of cabbage. The detection limits were 1.8 ng...