Investigation of the solubilization of car-emitted Pt, Pd and Rh in street dust and spiked soil samples

A sequential extraction procedure (three-step), proposed by the Standards, Measurements and Testing Programme (formerly BCR) of the European Union, was applied to street dust and spiked soil samples for the determination of PGEs. Analyses were carried out using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The results indicate that up to 5% from Pt, 70% from Pd and 14% from Rh are in mobile forms in street dust. The results for the soil samples spiked with crushed catalytic converter are significantly lower indicating that PGEs are oxidised more efficiently in natural conditions. Additionally Pt and Pd bound to humic acids were investigated.