Analyzing for Lead in Cell Phone Circuit Boards. Disposal of electronic waste is a growing problem. Weidenhamer describes a determination of the lead content of discarded consumer products that students can readily appreciate. In the experiment, circuit board samples from old cell phones are digested in aqua regia and analyzed for lead following dilution. This lab is intended to demonstrate the concept of atomic absorption (AA) by qualitative screening of circuit board materials and to show the use of AA for quantitative analysis of environmental samples. The
Photos by Jerrold Jacobsen and James Maynard, University of Wisconsin–Madison.
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