Recebido em 19/7/10; aceito em 25/2/11; publicado na web em 5/5/11 A study of the partial USEPA 3050B and total ISO 14869-1:2001 digestion methods of sediments was performed. USEPA 3050B was recommended as the simpler method with less operational risk. However, the extraction ability of the method should be taken in account for the best environmental interpretation of the results. FAAS was used to quantify metal concentrations in sediment solutions. The alternative use of ICP-OES quantification should be conditioned by a previous detailed investigation and eventual correction of the matrix effect. For the first time, the EID method was employed for the detection and correction of the matrix effect in sediment ICP-OES analysis. Finally, some considerations were made about the level of metal contamination in the area under study.

25Knowing the metal extraction capacity of a digestion method is crucial for a better 26 environmental interpretation of metal concentrations determined in sediments. One of the 27 main problems at the present is the lack of harmonization of information obtained by two of 28 the most popular sediment partial digestion methods: ISO 11466.3 (aqua regia) and EPA 29 3050B (HNO 3 -H 2 O 2 -HCl). In the present work, the amount of Cu, Ni and Pb leached by using 30 both methods was compared with the total content of those elements in marine sediments 31 collected, as an example, from the Cienfuegos Bay, Cuba. Similar amounts of Cu were 32 extracted by both methods; while leaching of Ni and Pb were different. Generally, the EPA 33 method extracted more Ni than the ISO method. In contrast, Pb was extracted in a larger 34 amount by the ISO method. Some explanations are given for the observed results. X-ray 35 Diffraction, X-ray Fluorescence, Particle Induced X-ray Emission Spectrometry and Energy 36Dispersive X-ray coupled to Scanning Electron Microscopy were employed for this purpose.

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