A rapid, accurate, and precise method is described for the direct determination of lead in wine and
other alcoholic beverages, using a flow injection-hydride generation-atomic absorption spectrometry
system (FI-HG-AAS). Lead hydride was generated in HNO3-H2O2 medium using NaBH4 as the
reducing agent. To increase the efficiency of lead hydride generation and to produce mineralized
samples, a microwave oven was coupled on-line to the FI-HG-AAS system for some samples. This
method was used with 70 samples of wine produced in Spain and with 64 samples of other alcoholic
beverages widely consumed in that country. The concentrations of lead ranged in wine from not
detectable (ND) to 1125.00 íg/L and in other alcoholic beverages from ND to 444.70 íg/L.