Elements accompanying platinum emitted from automobile catalyst's

Samples of common grass collected in the vicinity of a motorway were analyzed by ICP-MS in order to identify some elements showing a concentrational increase in parallel to Pt (years 1992 – 1994). The amounts of Al, Ce, La, Nd and Zr increased significantly within the sampling period and were recognized to be part of automobile catalyst emissions. Concentrational behavior of Ce and its relation to Pt were investigated in detail. Conditions for the prediction of Pt concentrations from a corresponding Ce distribution are reported. It is shown that Pt detected along streets should be attributed to catalyst emissions.