Direct determination of lead in smoke from burned crude oil by impaction graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

A unique impaction graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometric system was used to investigate the concentration of lead in smoke from burning crude oil. The lead concentration in 3 mi of crude oil decreased sharply in the inital burning stages, which was attributed to the release of the more volatile lead compounds, and then steadily decreased over the length of the burn. Lead signals from the smoke of the burned oil confirmed that the lead was being released into the smoke and ultimately into the atmosphere. (C) 1997 academic Press.