Abstract
Gas chromatography/atomic absorption spectrometry was used to determine specific alkyllead compounds in surface and potable water samples and in rainwater. For the first time, ionic alkyllead species were identified in potable waters at very low levels with concentrations up to 3.6 nanogram Pb/l. No tetraalkyllead compounds were found in any of the samples. Laboratory studies demonstrated that these species decompose rapidly in aqueous samples to trialkyllead, the most common form of organic lead in the environmental samples. (Rochester-PTT)