Determination of rare earth elements in dust deposited on tree leaves from Greater Cairo using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

- Rare earth elements (REEs) were determined in dust samples using ICP-MS.
- The dusts were deposited on tree leaves and were collected at 19 sites.
- REE concentrations were in the range from 1 to 60 μg g−1.
- High concentration of REEs was found in the middle of Nile Delta.

This work aims at monitoring the rare earth elements (REEs) and Th in dust deposited on tree leaves collected inside and outside Greater Cairo (GC), Egypt. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was employed. The concentration of REEs in the collected dust samples was found to be in the range from 1 to 60 μg g−1. The highest concentration of REEs was found in dust samples collected outside GC, in the middle of the Nile Delta. This would refer to the availability of black sands, due to desert wind occurrence during the sample collection, and anthropogenic activities. The limits of detection of the REEs ranged from 0.02 ng g−1 for Tm to 3 ng g−1 for Yb. There was an obvious variation in the concentration of REEs inside and outside GC due to variations of natural and anthropogenic sources. Strong correlations among all the REEs were found.