Analysis of toxic elements in plastic components for toys. Multi-elemental determination by x-ray fluorescence

Abstract An x-ray fluorescence method is proposed for the multi-elemental determination of toxic elements in plastic articles for children, viz., Sb(III), Ba, Cd, Cr(III), Hg, Pb and As(III). Mineralization is achieved by using molten sodium hydroxide to decompose the organic matrix, with sodium nitrate as auxiliary oxidant. Stable solutions containing the chemical species for analysis are obtained. The species are separated from the solution by (co)precipitation, in a medium of NH+4-NH3 buffer (pH 8.5) with sodium diethyldithiocarbamate, sodium rhodizonate and Fe3+, which acts as a carrier. The precipitates deposited on filter-paper are placed in the x-ray spectrometer in fine layer morpho…