Ultrasonic extraction of heavy metals from environmental and industrial hygiene samples for their subsequent determination

Ultrasonic extraction (UE) is an effective method for the extraction of a number of heavy metals in environmental samples. in many cases, UE offers a means for quantitative recoveries of heavy metals, However, UE has been underutilized for sample preparation purposes in environmental analysis. Nevertheless, the use of UE for extraction of heavy metals in the industrial hygiene arena is increasing, with applications in the field as well as in the laboratory. In this article some examples of applications of UE to heavy metals extraction (for their subsequent determination) in environmental and industrial hygiene samples are presented. it is expected that the use of UE for sample preparation purposes in environmental analytical chemistry will become more widespread, owing to its simplicity, ease of use, speed, and enhanced safety when compared with other, more traditional sample preparation procedures. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.