Determination of trace Cr, Ni, Hg, As, and Pb in the tipping paper and filters of cigarettes by monochromatic wavelength X-ray fluorescence spectrometry

Abstract An analytical method is proposed to determine trace heavy metals chromium, nickel, mercury, arsenic, and lead in tipping paper and As and Pb in cigarette filters using monochromatic wavelength X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. It is very difficult to determine trace heavy metals by traditional energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry because of its high noise and low peak area. A MWXRF spectrometer was assembled with a LiF(4 2 0) double curved crystal and microfocal X-ray tube. High count X-ray was simultaneously generated and focused by LiF(4 2 0) DCC. With pressing pretreatment, the signal to background ratio was significantly improved. There was a good linear relation between the intensity by MWXRF and heavy metal content by ICP-MS and AAS. The limits of detection of the heavy elements were lower than 1.0 μg/g. A batch of cigarette tipping papers and filters were analyzed, there were only few heavy metals with low contents in the tipping paper and filters.