A field aluminium speciation method to study the aluminium hazard in water

The toxicity of aluminium is governed by its bioavailability. Therefore, the speciation of aluminium in drinking water becomes of prime importance to understand its fate and the population exposure, and to develop guidelines for the concentration levels. At Health Canada, a field speciation method has been developed to perform on-site speciation followed by measurement of Al in the laboratory. The following species are generated: 1) total recoverable; 2) total acid-leacheable; 3) total dissolved; 4) dissolved extracted; and 5) dissolved non extracted. The field extractions are performed by percolation through chelation columns, which are later processed in the laboratory. Aluminium determinations can then be performed by numerous methods, such as by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICPMS), Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (GFAAS) or Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES). Examples of results for raw or treated/ distributed surface waters, as well as for groundwaters, are used to illustrate the validity of the method, and the importance of considering aluminium speciation in characterizing the aluminium hazard in water.     

Speciation of aluminium(III) in natural waters using differential pulse voltammetry with a pyrocatechol violet-modified electrode

A differential pulse voltammetric (DPV) procedure is proposed for the speciation of aluminium in natural waters using Pyrocatechol Violet chemically modified electrodes (PCV-CMEs). This novel speciation idea is based on the selective determination of different AlIII forms under two pH conditions. The labile monomeric Al fraction (mainly inorganic Al) is analysed at pH 4.8 (0.20 mol dm(-3) NaOAc-HOAc) and the total monomeric Al fraction is analysed at pH 8.5 (0.20 mol dm(-3) NH3.H2O-NH4Cl). The difference is thought to be caused by the weak competition ability of PCV to sequester AlIII from AlIII-natural organic matter complexes. This sensitive and simple speciation method has been applied successfully to aluminium speciation in natural waters sampled from different regions of China. Five fractions are measured directly or indirectly: (i) labile monomeric Al; (ii) total monomeric Al; (iii) acid reactive Al; (iv) non-labile monomeric Al; and (v) acid soluble Al. The results are in satisfactory agreement with those obtained by Driscoll's 8-hydroxyquinoline extraction-ion exchange method.     

Speciation analysis of aluminium(III) in natural waters and biological fluids by complexing with various catechols followed by differential pulse voltammetry detection

The biological effects of aluminium have received much attention in recent years. Speciation of Al is of basic relevance as it concerns its reactivity and bioavailability. A differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) procedure is proposed for speciation analysis of Al(III) in natural waters and biological fluids using six catechols (L-dopa, dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine, caffeic acid and o-benzenediol) as electroactive ligands. The decrease of the DPV anodic peak current for each catechol ligand is linear with the increase of Al concentration. This speciation analysis idea is based on the measurement of the complexation capacity, namely, different affinities of Al(III) for catechols and organic ligands under two pH conditions. The labile monomeric Al fraction (mainly inorganic aluminium) is determined at pH 4.6, while the total monomeric Al fraction is determined at pH 8.5. The principle for Al(III) speciation analysis by an electrochemical method is discussed. This sensitive and simple fractionation method is successfully applied to the speciation analysis of Al in natural waters and the results agree well with those of Driscoll's method. The speciation analysis of Al in biological fluids is also explored and the results are compared with those obtained by ultrafiltration and dialysis. Compared with other speciation protocols the electrochemical method possesses some remarkable advantages: rapidity, high sensitivity, cheap instrumentation and a simple operation procedure.     

The chemical speciation of aluminium in human serum

Chemical speciation of aluminium in the low molecular mass (LMM) and high molecular mass (HMM) fractions of human serum is discussed. A critical review of the literature on different analytical procedures described for the speciation of aluminium in human serum samples is presented here. The methodologies, the experimental and instrumental requirements and the ability of the reported analytical procedures for identification of HMM and LMM aluminium species in human serum are examined in detail. Non-chromatographic separations coupled to electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry for aluminium detection are compared with chromatographic techniques (size exclusion chromatography, anion exchange chromatography and fast protein liquid chromatography) coupled to ETAAS or inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) detection for Al-HMM species investigations. Studies and techniques reported for Al-LMM compounds are also summarised, both for healthy volunteers and dialysis patients. On the basis of the knowledge obtained from the application of the developed analytical procedures to real serum analysis, it has been demonstrated that most of Al in human serum is bound to Al-transferrin, while the LMM-Al fraction (10-20% of total Al) mainly contains Al-citrate, Al-phosphate and ternary Al-citrate-phosphate complexes.     

Analysis of Toxic Aluminium Species in Natural Waters

Aluminium is known to be toxic to a wide range of aquatic organisms under certain conditions. Monomeric hydroxy ions have been found to be primarily responsible for aluminium aquatic toxicity.A survey of aluminium toxicity and a brief discussion of speciation schemes are presented. The fast reaction of Al³⁺ with pyrocatechol violet (PCV) followed by spectrophotometric analysis is a frequently used method for aluminium speciation. By using a flow system, one obtains fairly exact and reproducible control of the reaction time, and as a result it provides a direct method of analysis for free aluminium (including inorganic monomeric aluminium).The PCV-method has been adapted for the determination of aluminium in carbonate-rich natural waters using an improved buffering system. Thus it is possible to monitor aluminium concentrations in lake water as well as in pore water of the sediments of eutrophicated hardwater lakes that has been treated with aluminium salts as a restoration measure.     

Analytical methodologies for aluminium speciation in environmental and biological samples--a review

It is recognized that aluminium (Al) is a potential environmental hazard. Acidic deposition has been linked to increased Al concentrations in natural waters. Elevated levels of Al might have serious consequences for biological communities. Of particular interest is the speciation of Al in aquatic environments, because Al toxicity depends on its forms and concentrations. In this paper, advances in analytical methodologies for Al speciation in environmental and biological samples during the past five years are reviewed. Concerns about the specific problems of Al speciation and highlights of some important methods are elucidated in sections devoted to hybrid techniques (HPLC or FPLC coupled with ET-AAS, ICP-AES, or ICP-MS), flow-injection analysis (FIA), nuclear magnetic resonance (27Al NMR), electrochemical analysis, and computer simulation. More than 130 references are cited.     

Analytical methodologies for aluminium speciation in environmental and biological samples – a review

It is recognized that aluminium (Al) is a potential environmental hazard. Acidic deposition has been linked to increased Al concentrations in natural waters. Elevated levels of Al might have serious consequences for biological communities. Of particular interest is the speciation of Al in aquatic environments, because Al toxicity depends on its forms and concentrations. In this paper, advances in analytical methodologies for Al speciation in environmental and biological samples during the past five years are reviewed. Concerns about the specific problems of Al speciation and highlights of some important methods are elucidated in sections devoted to hybrid techniques (HPLC or FPLC coupled with ET–AAS, ICP– AES, or ICP–MS), flow-injection analysis (FIA), nuclear magnetic resonance (²⁷Al NMR), electrochemical analysis, and computer simulation. More than 130 references are cited.     

Determination of aluminium and its fluoro complexes in natural waters by ion chromatography

Ion chromatography was applied to the determination of aluminium and its fluoro complexes in natural waters. The separation was carried out on a cation-exchange column. The aluminium species were detected by postcolumn reaction with Tiron followed by UV spectrophotometry. The method requires the adjustment of the pH and ionic strength of the sample to those of the mobile phase immediately prior to injection. Al³⁺ , AlF²⁺ and AlF₂⁺ are eluted separately while all hydroxo complexes are readily dissociated and eluted along with Al³⁺ under these conditions. The sum of peak areas, which represents the total aluminium concentration, was conserved whatever the amount of fluoride in the sample. Linearity of calibration was observed over the range 20–2000 μg 1⁻¹. Further, the speciation of fluoro-aluminium complexes as determined experimentally by ion chromatography is in good agreement with calculations based on complexation constants. The applications and limitations of the method are discussed.     

Preconcentration of Trace Elements in Water for Speciation Studies

Trace element speciation has recently become one of the most important problems in water analysis. Proper combination of preconcentration techniques with instrumental determination methods is essential to speciation analysis, because sensitivity and selectivity of direct determination methods are generally lacking. The present paper describes such preconcentration techniques as filtration, centrifugation, flotation and sorption, which have been developed in the author's laboratory for the speciation of heavy metals in river and pond waters by electron microscopy, X-ray microanalysis and chemical analysis. The application of freeze concentration to the speciation of silica in high-purity waters is also discussed.     

Aluminium speciation in relation to aluminium bioavailability, metabolism and toxicity

Aluminium toxicity may act in two distinct ways, depending on the level of contamination. Relatively low aluminium levels from environmental origin (mainly from drinking water poor in silica) have been shown to be statistically associated with senile dementias of Alzheimer type (chronic intoxication). In addition, high aluminium therapeutic levels (from phosphate binders, antacids, …) can induce different, more rapid, symptoms (acute intoxication). In all cases, aluminium toxicity is largely conditioned by aluminium bioavailability, which in turn hinges upon aluminium coordination chemistry in vivo. The highly polarising power of the Al³⁺ ion dictates its particular affinity for oxygen donors that abound in essential biomolecules and dietary substances. The influence of these substances on aluminium bioavailability, metabolism and toxicity can be assessed through animal models. However, understanding the mechanisms through which aluminium-ligand interactions may influence physiological processes on the molecular level requires a knowledge of the speciation of the metal in the main biofluids. Access to this critical information can a priori be gained through direct experimental analysis of relevant biological samples. It is in this way that aluminium protein-bound fractions, involving essentially transferrin, have been identified, but using such a direct approach to analyse the ultrafiltrable pool of the metal is a virtually insurmountable task, hence the necessity to have recourse to computer-aided speciation techniques based on simulation models. Following a previous review published in this journal on nearly the same topic [Coord. Chem. Rev. 149 (1996) 241], this article updates the knowledge available on both biological and chemical fronts. After a review of experimental investigations led on the roles of aluminium-ligand interactions in aluminium bioavailability, metabolism and toxicity, contributions of experimental and computer-aided speciation to the understanding of the relevant processes are then analysed. Significant progress has been made in the diverse aspects of the biological field, in particular, in relation to the role of dietary ligands on aluminium gastrointestinal absorption, excretion and tissue distribution. Also, very intensive research has been pursued on the design of new aluminium sequestering agents to treat acute intoxications. Some progress has also been made on the chemical side relative to computer-aided speciation applications to gastrointestinal and blood plasma conditions. However, the gap is increasing between the large body of observations made by physiologists and toxicologists and the few data painfully obtained by coordination chemists to interpret the relevant phenomena.     

Speciation analysis of heavy metals in natural waters: a review.

Metal speciation in natural waters is of increasing interest and importance because toxicity, bioavailability, environmental mobility, biogeochemical behavior, and potential risk in general are strongly dependent on the chemical species of metals. This paper provides an overview of the need for speciation of heavy metals in natural waters, the chemical and toxicological aspects of speciation, and the analytical procedures for separation and the different techniques for final determination that are used today. The trends and developments of speciation are also discussed. Finally, the case of chromium (Cr) was selected for a detailed presentation because the speciation of this metal has attracted a great deal of interest in view of the toxic properties of Cr(VI).     

Organometallics in the nearshore marine environment of Australia

This review draws together published information on the occurrence and biogeochemical cycling of selenium, arsenic and tin in the nearshore marine environment of Australia. The selenium content of marine organisms is well documented but little information is available on the selenium content of waters and sediments. The speciation of selenium in organisms, water and sediments is unknown although it appears that selenium is associated with proteins. The occurrence and speciation of arsenic in marine organisms has been extensively studied, with arsonobetaine being isolated as the probable end-product of arsenic metabolism in marine food chains. However, organisms can produce other organoarsenic compounds, e.g. trimethylarsine oxide, which may be metabolized to toxic end-products. Little is known about the occurrence and speciation of arsenic in waters and sediments. Arsenic(V) is dominant in oxygenated waters, with appreciable quantities of arsenic(III) in some deoxygenated waters. There are few data for tin in water, sediments or organisms and no data on naturally occurring tin species. Tributyltin has been measured in water, sediment and organisms from areas affected by boating activity.     

Flow-injection and liquid chromatographic determination of aluminum based on its fluorimetric reaction with 8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulphonic acid in a micellar medium

Aluminum reacts with 8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulphonic acids (HQS) in cationic micelles of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) to form a strongly fluorescent compound. In the micellar media the formation of the Al—HQS complex is very fast, allowing a useful continuousdetermination of aluminum in flow systems. At pH 6.3, for 2 × 10^-4 M HQS and 2 × 10^-3 M CTAB the detection limit for a luminum by flow injection is 0.1 ng ml^-1. The calibration is linear up to 100 ng ml^-1 and the peak-height precision is 2% at the 10 ng ml^-1 level. Interfences are greatly decreased compared with the batch method. The reaction has also been applied to the post-column detection by ion chromatography of aluminium in fresh and high-salinity wates and for speciation of aluminium in blodd serum after separation of serum proteins by ion-exchange liquid chromatography.     

Speciation of trace amounts of aluminium in percolating water of forest soil by online coupling HPLC-ICP-MS

Procedures were developed for the speciation of trace amounts of aluminium present in percolating water of forest soil by online coupling of different chromatographic separation methods to an ICP-MS detection system. Inorganic and organic aluminium species were fractionated on a cation exchange column IONPAC CG12 (10-32). Phytotoxic polymeric aluminium hydroxides, as e.g. Al₁₃ (AlO₄Al₁₂(OH)₂₄(H₂O)₁₂ ⁷⁺), were determined using pyrocatechol violet (PCV) as a species dependant complexing reagent prior to the cation exchange step. Size fractionation of the organic aluminium species was obtained by size exclusion chromatography using the columns Superdex-75-HR 10/30 and Superdex-Peptide-HR 10/30. Validation of the speciation procedures proved that online coupling HPLC to the element selective and sensitive ICP-MS detection system leads to low detection limits of 0.3–0.6 μg/L and high precision and reproducibility (1.2–3.5%) of the speciation procedures. Speciation data determined for aluminium in a percolating water of the Zierenberg catchment are given.     

Identification of hydrolysis products of AlCl(3)*6H(2)O in the presence of sulfate by electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry and computational methods

ElectroSpray Ionization-Mass Spectrometry (ESI-MS) and computational methods (DFT, MP2, and COSMO) were used to investigate the hydrolysis products of aluminium chloride as a function of sulfate concentration at pH 3.7. With the aid of computational chemistry, structural information was deduced from the chemical compositions observed with ESI-MS. Many novel types of hydrolysis products were noted, revealing that our present understanding of aluminium speciation is too simple. The role of counterions was found to be critical: the speciation of aluminium changed markedly as a function of sulfate concentration. Ab initio calculations were used to reveal the energetically most favoured structures of aluminium sulfate anions and cations selected from the ESI-MS results. Several interesting observations were made. Most importantly, the bonding behaviour of the sulfate group changed as the number of aqua ligands increased. The accompanying structural rearrangement of the clusters revealed the highly active role of sulfate as a ligand. The gas phase calculations were expanded to the aquatic environment using a conductor-like screening model. As expected, the bonding behaviour of the sulfate group in the minimum energy structures was distinctly different in the aquatic environment compared to the gas phase. Together, these methods open a new window for research in the solution chemistry of aluminium species.     

Voltammetric methods for speciation analysis of trace metals in natural waters

Trace metals play an important role in the regulation of primary productivity and phytoplankton community composition. Metal species directly affects the biogeochemical cycling processes, transport, fate, bioavailability and toxicity of trace metals. Therefore, developing powerful methods for metal speciation analysis is very useful for research in a range of fields, including chemical and environmental analysis. Voltammetric methods, such as anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) and competing ligand exchange-adsorptive cathodic stripping voltammetry (CLE-AdCSV), have been widely adopted for speciation analysis of metals in different natural aquatic systems. This paper provides an overview of the theory of voltammetric methods and their application for metal speciation analysis in natural waters, with a particular focus on current voltammetric methods for the discrimination of labile/inert fractions, redox species and covalently bound species. Speciation analysis of typical trace metals in natural waters including Fe, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb are presented and discussed in detail, with future perspectives for metal speciation analysis using voltammetric methods also discussed. This review can elaborate the particular knowledge of theory, merits, application and future challenge of voltammetric methods for speciation analysis of trace metals in natural waters.     

Speciation of trace amounts of aluminium in percolating water of forest soil by online coupling HPLC-ICP-MS

Procedures were developed for the speciation of trace amounts of aluminium present in percolating water of forest soil by online coupling of different chromatographic separation methods to an ICP-MS detection system. Inorganic and organic aluminium species were fractionated on a cation exchange column IONPAC CG12 (10-32). Phytotoxic polymeric aluminium hydroxides, as e.g. Al₁₃ (AlO₄Al₁₂(OH)₂₄(H₂O)₁₂ ⁷⁺), were determined using pyrocatechol violet (PCV) as a species dependant complexing reagent prior to the cation exchange step. Size fractionation of the organic aluminium species was obtained by size exclusion chromatography using the columns Superdex-75-HR 10/30 and Superdex-Peptide-HR 10/30. Validation of the speciation procedures proved that online coupling HPLC to the element selective and sensitive ICP-MS detection system leads to low detection limits of 0.3–0.6 μg/L and high precision and reproducibility (1.2–3.5%) of the speciation procedures. Speciation data determined for aluminium in a percolating water of the Zierenberg catchment are given. Received: 20 November 1998 / Revised: 28 January 1999 / Accepted: 3 February 1999     

Redox speciation of plutonium

Knowledge of the oxidation state distribution of plutonium in natural waters is necessary in modeling its behavior in environmental systems. The redox speciation of plutonium is complicated by such effects as hydrolysis, complexation, disproportionation, solubility, and redox interchange reactions. The insolubility of Pu(OH)₄ is often the limiting factor of the net solubility of plutonium in oxic natural waters where Pu(V)O ₂ ⁺ is the most stable oxidation state. Perturbations to the oxidation state speciation due to the complexation chemistry of the different oxidation states of plutonium and to the insolubility of plutonium(IV) in neutral aquatic systems are discussed. The merits and limitations of some chemical separation techniques used to study redox speciation of plutonium are presented, and recommendations made for obtaining reliable oxidation state distribution data.     

Simultaneous determination of aluminium,aluminium fluoride complexes and iron in groundwater samples by new HPLC–UVVIS method

The paper presents the application of the new HPLC–UVVIS method used in speciation analysis of aluminium form Al³⁺, aluminium complexes with fluorides and iron in groundwater samples. Based on the obtained results of groundwater samples analysis, the separation of iron in the retention time ≈ 3.7, was obtained. The conditions of the occurrence of particular aluminium forms based on the speciation analysis and modeling in the Mineql program were presented and confirmed. The influence of pH and ligand concentration on forming complexes was shown. The preliminary study of aluminium complexes with sulfates based on model solutions did not allow for the separation of the above complexes in presented analytical system. The paper presents the possible types of transformation of aluminium hydroxy forms and aluminium sulfate complexes by the reaction of the sample with mobile phase. An indirect method for the determination of aluminium in the form of aluminium sulfate was proposed. The new method was successfully applied in the determination of the following aluminium forms: Al³⁺, AlF₂⁺, AlF₃⁰, AlF₄^?, AlF²⁺ and Fe³⁺.     

The speciation of trace elements in waters

Speciation (determination of the different physico-chemical species formed by an element) in a water sample is necessary for an understanding of the toxicity, bioavailability, bioaccumulation and transport of a particular element. The importance of speciation measurements and the various factors leading to changes in speciation are discussed in this review. Speciation in natural waters is a difficult task, and the analytical methods available and the results obtained are critically assessed.