Solid phase extraction using immobilized yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae for determination of palladium in road dust

A solid phase extraction procedure using a yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae immobilized in calcium alginate beads is proposed for the determination of Pd in road dust. Palladium was separated from the matrix elements by selective retention on the column at acidic pH (pH 1-1.5) followed by subsequent elution with 1 ml of thiourea (TU) solution (0.3 mol l−1 TU in 0.25 mol l−1 HC1) and determination by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS). The limit of detection was 7 ng g−1. The method validation was performed by analysis of certified reference material SARM-7 (platinum ore). The concentration of Pd in road dust samples collected in Bialystok (Poland) determined by the evaluated method is in the range 114.2-215.5 ng g−1. The analysis of data shows inhomogeneous distribution of Pd in road dust.