Multi-element analysis (Pb, Al, Fe) of Antarctic flora using HR-CS ETAAS with an extended working range

This paper introduces a new method for the simultaneous determination of lead, aluminum, and iron in plant samples using high-resolution continuum source electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (HR-CS ETAAS). The method is suitable for covering a wide range of concentrations for all three elements, by utilizing two spectral lines for Al and employing the wavelength-selected absorbance (WSA) approach, which combines the reading of absorbance signals at both the central and wing parts of the spectral lines. The method was validated against certified reference materials and was then applied in a large-scale analysis of Antarctic flora collected from Nelson Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. The method was found to be a useful biomonitoring tool for assessing Pb pollution in various plant materials, including lichens, mosses, grass and mushrooms, while Al and Fe contents may serve as normalizing elements in calculations of environmental indices. The observed Pb levels in lichens (median content 0.19 mg Pb/kg) were lower than those reported in other Antarctic regions. These findings indicate that the Stansbury Peninsula on Nelson Island is relatively unaffected by local pollution, compared to other Antarctic regions, and that the data might serve as an example of background levels in the South Shetland Islands.