Extraction of metals from soils and sewage sludges by refluxing with aqua regia
Abstract
The analysis of soils for total metal content using various acid digestion procedures and flame atomic-absorption spectroscopy has been investigated. Refluxing with aqua regia was more effective than digestion in an open vessel and produced results comparable to those obtained by bomb digestion, the most vigorous method used. Refluxing with aqua regia extracted at least 80% of the total chromium, copper, lead and manganese from sewage sludges and sludge-treated soils. Analysis of the uncontaminated Canadian Reference soils showed that a similar proportion of the total cadmium, iron and zinc was also extracted. Results for the analysis of six typical Scottish topsoils were in agreement with the conclusions obtained with the Canadian soils.
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