%0 Journal Article
%T Assessment of the concentration of Cr, Mn and Fe in sediment using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy
%A K. N. Mekonnen
%A A. A. Ambushe
%A B. S. Chandravanshi
%A M. R. Abshiro
%A A. du Plessis
%A R. I. McCrindle
%J Bulletin of the Chemical Society of Ethiopia
%D 2013
%I Chemical Society of Ethiopia
%X In the present study, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has been applied for the determination of levels of Cr, Mn and Fe in sediment samples and the results have been compared with that of flame-atomic absorption spectroscopy (F-AAS). Fourteen sediment samples were collected from Tinishu Akaki River (TAR), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Pellets of 24 mm in diameter and 3-5 mm in thickness were prepared using a manual hydraulic press under a pressure of 8000 psi by mixing finely ground sediment samples with boric acid. The concentrations of Cr, Mn and Fe were successfully determined by Q-switched Nd:YAG laser at 1064 nm. Quantification of these metals was conducted against certified reference materials of sediments and soils. The LIBS results for the elements varied from 0.060每0.707 mg/g for Cr, 0.895每3.64 mg/g for Mn and 26.9每71.8 mg/g for Fe. The F-AAS results varied from 0.061每1.37 mg/g for Cr, 1.24每4.46 mg/g for Mn and 49.0每83.3 mg/g for Fe. TAR was found to be heavily polluted with Cr.   KEY WORDS: Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, Chromium, Manganese, Iron, Sediment, Tinishu Akaki River, Ethiopia   Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2013, 27(1), 1-13. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v27i1.1
%U http://www.ajol.info/index.php/bcse/article/view/84069