Lead contamination in paint, dust, soil and air represents a potential health hazard to people, and field-portable analytical methods for the determination of this toxic metal in environmental samples are needed for the on-site assessment of lead hazards.

Field-portable techniques for the determination of lead in environmental samples may allow for rapid assessments of lead hazards and corresponding cost reductions compared to traditional laboratory-based analyses.

Field-portable techniques for the measurement of lead content in environmental matrices may be used for compliance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations and guidelines, providing accepted performance criteria are met (see Guide E 1775).⁸

This practice may be used in the field as an alternative to laboratory-based methods such as Test Method E 1613.

It is assumed that samples will have been collected by the pertinent ASTM sample collection methods: paint by Practice E 1729, dust wipes by Practice E 1728, vacuumed dust by Practice E 1973 or Practice D 5438, soil by Practice E 1727, and air particulate by Practice E 1553.

It is generally assumed that samples will have been prepared by a field-based sample preparation technique such as ultrasonic extraction in diluted nitric acid (2,5). However, this practice may also be employed in the laboratory on samples prepared by traditional laboratory-based sample preparation methods using heat and strong nitric acid, namely Practices E 1644, E 1645, E 1726, and E 1741 (6). Also, this practice may be used to analyze TCLP extracts for lead content that are subsequently acidified with HNO₃ (see 2.2).

Sample extracts that are analyzed by portable electroanalysis must be acidic: a minimum acidity of pH < 2 is required. Acidification is accomplished through the addition of nitric acid.