A new method for the simultaneous determination of heavy metals in wallcoverings

A new method for the fast routine analysis of total heavy metal concentrations in wallcoverings and paper products was developed, including the elements arsenic, selenium, mercury, antimony, barium, lead, chromium, cadmium copper, zinc, tin, nickel and cobalt using ICP-AES for quantification and microwave assisted pressure digestion for dissolution. 70 wallcoverings were investigated, most of them showing low heavy metal contents.