Due to the toxicity of lead (Pb), the U.S. EPA has developed method 40 CFR Part 745 to address Pb-based paint poisoning in residential structures. This analysis is based on dust wipes, where a defined area is wiped with special lead wipes, which are then digested and analyzed for Pb.
Although various trace-elemental analysis techniques are available for this type of testing, the Avio® 220 Max hybrid simultaneous ICP-OES is the ideal solution due to its low cost and high performance. This work demonstrates the ability of the Avio 220 Max ICP-OES to accurately measure low Pb concentrations in decomposed lead-wipes, easily meeting the newly-proposed EPA criteria. This is thanks to its ability to provide greater sensitivity than typical ICP-OES instruments due to its unique optical design and detector. Its proprietary spectrometer design provides excellent sensitivity, which allows for accurate, low-level analyses.