Chapter 8 NEW FIELD TEST FOR LEAD (PB 2+ ) IN SOIL

Field tests for the detection of lead contamination in soil are not frequently accepted, since the tests are rather cumbersome to run or not reliable enough for screening determinations. We have developed a LEADQuick field test kit for the detection of lead in water with 3 µg/L sensitivity. This was modified to allow for the detection of lead in soil with sensitivity down to 0.03 µg of lead. Using this field test, most organic and inorganic salt compounds of lead that can be readily extracted from the soil to Pb 2+ state are detected. Since most lead salt compounds in soil are only slightly soluble in water (1 to 100 mg per liter), we have developed an extraction protocol with nitric acid and potassium nitrate. The solubility of the lead salts in the soil are adequate enough that a quick extraction procedure allows for soil lead levels to be determined without heated acid digestion. Experimental details, soil results testing data, and interference results will be presented that demonstrate the potential application of our extraction procedure and LEADQuick field test kit for soil lead monitoring.