The Role of Lead Testing in Sustainable Development

Lead is a heavy metal and has severe health impacts in children [1]. Developmental delays, problems in behavior and learning problems have been associated with lead exposure [1]. Furthermore, if lead is present in a large amount in the environment, then it will have negative consequences for sustainable development [2]. For instance, lead contamination can degrade soil and water quality, decrease their yield and prevent communities from producing food or accessing clean water [2]. This is why lead contamination in the environment must be detected and avoided.

Different techniques exist for the lead testing in the environment, each with its own strengths and weaknesses [3]. Some common methods include:

X-ray fluorescence (XRF): X-rays are used to make an atom in the sample excited and calculate how much energy those atoms are creating on their return to the ground state [4]. By XRF you can analyse the content of an element like lead [4]. This is one benefit of XRF because XRF is not destructive, so the sample does not get destroyed during the test [4]. But XRF is less sensitive than others and it may fail to pick up trace amounts of lead [4].
Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS): In this technique, atoms in the sample are vaporised and ionized by a plasma at high temperature before they’re separated and observed with a mass spectrometer [5]. ICP-MS is extremely sensitive and detects very low levels of lead [5], and so can be applied to environmental studies. But it takes time and cost money and you need equipment and trained personnel to perform [5].
Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS): This analysis relies on the atoms’ absorption of light in a solution, to calculate its concentration [6]. We can use AAS to detect lead in water, soil and other samples [6]. One plus side of AAS is that it is pretty straightforward to apply and doesn’t involve any expensive apparatus [6]. But it is not as sensitive as some of the other approaches and could not pick up very small amounts of lead [6].
Graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy (GFAAS): This is similar to AAS except that it’s conducted in a graphite furnace to vaporize the sample and make the measurement sensitive [7]. GFAAS is more sensitive than AAS and can pick up lower levels of lead [7]. But it’s a tedious work, needs special tools and people to do it [7].
We can also try a number of other tests on lead levels like flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS), neutron activation analysis (NAA), and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) [8]. All of these techniques have pros and cons and the method used will depend on the context of the testing context [8].

In the development plan for sustainable development, different lead test methods must be taken into consideration [9]. It’s also worth to take into account the problems and limitations in applying these methods in other contexts [9]. For instance, there might be better methods but that are also costly and time-consuming, and not suitable for testing large numbers of people [9]. Moreover, there are some more sensitive approaches but they take specialized instruments and trained experts, and are unpractical in remote or limited regions [9].

On the whole, whether or not certain lead testing approaches will perform better or worse is determined by the test case scenario and the resources at hand [10]. It’s very important to consider these things and select the best option to get accurate and reliable results [10].