Collaborative Study of an Atomic Absorption Method for the Determination of Lead and Cadmium Extracted from Glazed Ceramic Surfaces

Abstract

A method for the determination of lead extracted from glazed ceramic surfaces was adapted from the German standard procedure and extended to include extractable cadmium. Studies comparing a 0.5 hr exposure to 4% acetic acid at room temperature (22±2°C) with a 24 hr exposure under the same conditions indicated that the longer exposure gave higher, asymptotic values for extracted metal. In the collaborative study, 7 samples of the 24 hr leach solution containing lead, one of these also containing cadmium, were sent to 13 collaborators for analysis by atomic absorption. The results show that the method is precise and accurate. The average relative standard deviation for lead was 5.2%, and for cadmium, 3.9%, with average recoveries of 101% for both metals. The method has been adopted as official first action.