Radiochemical proton activation analysis for the determination of cadmium and lead in sediment reference materials

Proton activation analysis was used for the determination of cadmium and lead in three sediment reference materials. The method is based on the^111,112Cd(p, xn)¹¹¹ In and the^206,207,208Pb(p, xn)²⁰⁶Bi reactions.¹¹¹In and²⁰⁶Bi were chemically separated by anion exchange. The results obtained were taken into account for the certification of the materials and are in the excellent agreement with the certified values.     

养殖池塘沉积物的重金属分布及污染特征

浙江省淅西北地区淡水养殖池塘沉积物重金属调查研究表明，养殖池塘沉积物中7种重金属元素分布不均衡，差异也较大，除Hg和Cr元素外，其余重金属元素已大大超过土壤本底值．虽然其实测含量都未超出国家规定的标准值范围，但沉积物中重金属元素对养殖水环境、养殖品种存在的潜在污染与危害值得关注．污染指数评价显示，养殖池塘沉积物中主要污染物质为Cu和Cr，而Hg、Pb污染程度相对较轻．     

Determination of tributyltin oxide in coastal marine sediments and mussels by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

We have devised a new method for bis(tributyltin)oxide (TBTO) determination in marine sediments and mussels. This technique involves an n-hexane/methylene chloride mixture extraction and extract purification with a sodium hydroxide wash in order to eliminate interfering compounds. TBTO is then extracted again by nitric acid and converted into an inorganic tin species; the analysis has been effected using Zeeman graphite furnace-atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The method detection limit for the matrices examined is 0.004 μg TBTO g^?1 (wet weight) and is sufficient for the analysis in real samples. The percentage recovery of TBTO from sediments and mussels samples is higher than 85% and 95% respectively. This method has been applied to TBTO level determination in sediments and mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) sampled in the harbour area in Taranto, where mussel culture activities are much developed; the TBTO levels obtained in sediments and mussels were in the range 15-47 ng g^?1 (wet weight) and 11-30 ng g^?1 (wet weight) respectively. Such values are comparable with those found in other harbour areas in the Mediterranean Sea.     

Digests or extracts?—Some interesting but conflicting results for three widely differing polluted sediment samples

Three sets of samples have been investigated in some detail. One set is from a river polluted by mine workings, containing substantial levels of Fe, Mn,Cu, Zn and Ni with traces of many other metals. The second set consists of typical estuarine sediments contaminated from a wide range of industrial sources, and the third set consists of oily drilling cuttings from the sea bottom in the vicinity of a North Sea oil production platform.These samples have been subjected to treatment 1) with EDTA at two different pH's (extracts) 2) with HNO₃/H₂O₂ 3) with HNO₃/HCl and 4) with HNO₃/HCl/HF (digests). EDTA recoveries, compared toaqua regia digests, are often very reproducible, not dependent on pH, and usually significantly low. Nitric/peroxide andaqua regia digests often give very close results suggesting that these are meaningful values indicating the maximum levels of polluting metals in the sediments. However, the triple acid digest with HF does sometimes give higher values (and reasonable agreement for CRM's such as MESS-1) but with poorer reproducibility.     

Determination of Labile Iron at Low nmol L−1 Levels in Estuarine and Coastal Waters by Anodic Stripping Voltammetry

A new method is presented for the determination of electrochemically labile iron in estuarine and coastal seawater. The method is based on differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV) at a rotating silver‐alloy disk electrode. The voltammetric parameters include a plating potential of ?1.5 V and an activation potential of ?5 V for 10s; the seawater is at the original sample pH. The main finding is the presence of a peak for low nmol L^?1 levels of iron at ?0.55 V ascribed to elemental iron deposited on the bare silver alloy electrode. The peak increased linearly with the iron concentration between <1 and 14 nmol L^?1 using a 900 s plating time. At higher concentrations an additional iron peak appeared at ?0.7 V which was also found to increase linearly with the iron concentration but at a higher concentration range from ca. 15 to 90 nmol L^?1 using a 300 s plating time. The second peak was ascribed to iron deposited on iron. Additions of chelating agents (EDTA and a siderophore) to seawater caused the iron peak to be masked indicating that this method is suitable for iron speciation as only the electrochemically labile fraction is determined. The detection limit was 0.3 nmol L^?1 using a 900 s plating time. The method was used to determine iron in the range of 5 to 50 nmol L^?1 in samples from the Mersey estuary near Liverpool and its potential use for in situ monitoring was demonstrated by using it to monitor labile iron (at 2–3 nmol L^?1) over a period of 4 days at 1 h intervals in coastal waters in the Trondheim fjord, Norway.     

Gas chromatographic and mass spectrometric characterization of isomeric alkylthiophenes (C20) and their occurrence in deep sea sediments

Six isomeric C₂₀ alkylthiophenes were synthesized in order to prove the occurrence of such compounds in various deep sea sediments. As expected from the analogy with the corresponding saturated hydrocarbons, 2- and 3-heptadecylthiophene have considerably longer relative retention times than the isomeric isoprenoid compounds, i.e. 2- and 3-(4,8,12-trimethyltridecyl)thiophene and 3- and 4-methyl-2-(3,7,11-trimethyldodecyl)thiophene. Covats retention indices for all compounds were determined by isothermal analysis at 190°C on two different silicone-coated capillary columns. The mass spectra of the monoalkylated thiophenes show a base peak at m/z 98 corresponding to a Mcafferty rearrangement product in the case of the 3-substituted isomers, whereas a simple benzylic cleavage dominates in the mass spectra of 2-alkylthiophenes. 4-Methyl-2-(3,7,11-trimethylodecy)thiophene is an exception from this simple rule because also shows the McLafferty rearrangement as dominant fragmentation. Two of the isoprenoid thiophenes are prominent compounds in various deep sea sediments.     

Extraction of Nonylphenol and Nonylphenol Ethoxylates from River Sediments: Comparison of Different Extraction Techniques

Summary Five different extraction techniques (Soxhlet, automated Randall, accelerated solvent extraction, microwave-assisted solvent extraction and extraction with a surfactant solution) have been evaluated for the determination of nonylphenol (NP) and nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEO) in river sediments. All the techniques were applied to the same three samples collected from northern Italian rivers. The analyses were performed with two RP columns, with different stationary reversed phases—a classical C₁₈ phase and a hexyl–phenyl phase. The recoveries and reproducibility of the different extraction techniques were comparable and all the methods gave reliable results. The variance of the results was dominated by the variance in sample homogeneity, sample preparation, and chromatographic analysis. A choice between the methods can be made on the basis of the cost and safety of each technique. Preliminary results obtained from use of a water-based extraction method with a surfactant solution (Tween-80), and its application to analysis of sediment and of worm tissue, are also presented.Presented at: Chemical Analysis and Risk Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, Barcelona, Spain, November 28–30, 2002     

Titanium as a chemical modifier for the determination of cobalt in marine sediments

The determination of cobalt in marine sediments by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry was studied using no modifier and magnesium and titanium as modifiers. Titanium is one of the major sediment constituents, which widely affects the cobalt determination and it was studied as a chemical modifier since it was the only concomitant that increased the cobalt signal in the concentration range usually found in sediments. The performance of Mg and Ti as chemical modifiers was compared relative to maximum pyrolysis and atomization temperatures, linear calibration range, sensitivity and matrix effects. The pyrolysis curves showed that the analyte could be stabilized up to 1400 °C when either Ti or Mg(NO₃)₂ was present, while only 1000 °C could be used in the absence of a modifier. The optimum atomization temperature was 2500 °C in all cases. Analytical curves were compared using no modifier, 5 μg Ti and 100 μg Mg(NO₃)₂ as modifiers, and the linear range found was up to approximately 4 ng Co whether a modifier was used or not. With Ti as a chemical modifier, analytical curves for cobalt in aqueous solution and in a synthetic matrix resulted in the same sensitivity (m₀=55 pg), whereas the use of Mg led to characteristic mass values of 59 and 72 pg in aqueous solution and in a synthetic matrix, respectively, showing some matrix effect. The detection limits (3σ, n=10) were 0.4 μg g⁻¹ using no modifier and 0.3 μg g⁻¹ with Ti as a modifier in the original matrix. A reference estuarine sediment NIST 1646 with a non-certified content of 10.5 μg g⁻¹ Co was analyzed and the found value of 10.9±2.4 μg g⁻¹, (n=3), using Ti as chemical modifier and calibration against aqueous standards, was in good agreement with the recommended value.     

Manganese detection in marine sediments: anodic vs. cathodic stripping voltammetry

Three different electroanalytical techniques for the detection of manganese in marine sediments are evaluated. The anodic stripping voltammetry of manganese at an in situ bismuth-film-modified boron-doped diamond electrode and cathodic stripping voltammetry at a carbon paste electrode are shown to lack the required sensitivity and reproducibility whereas cathodic stripping voltammetry at a bare boron-doped diamond electrode is shown to be reliable and selective with a limit of detection, from applying a 60 s accumulation period of 7.4 × 10⁻⁷ M and a sensitivity of 0.24 A M⁻¹. The method was used to evaluate the manganese content of marine sediments taken from Šibenik, Croatia.     

Study of parameters associated with the determination of cadmium in lake sediments by slurry sampling electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

Cadmium concentration in lake sediments is determined by suspending the solid samples in a solution containing 5% (v/v) concentrated nitric acid and 0.1% (v/v) Triton X-100. Three modifiers were tested for the direct determination. The furnace temperature programmes and appropriate amount for each modifier were optimised to get the highest signal and the best separation between the atomic and background signals. The drying stage is performed by programming a 400 °C temperature, a ramp time of 25 s and hold time of 10 s on the power supply of the atomiser. No ashing step is used and platform atomisation is carried out at 2200 °C. W–Rh permanent modifier combined with conventional modifier by delivering 10 μl of 0.50% (w/v) NH₄H₂PO₄ solution was the best chemical modifier for cadmium determination. This modifier also acts as a liquid medium for the slurry, thus simplifying the procedure. Calibration is performed using aqueous standards in the 1–5 μg l⁻¹ range. The optimised method gave a limit of detection of 0.56 ng ml⁻¹, characteristic mass of 10.1±0.8 pg for aqueous standard, 9.6±0.7 pg for slurry samples containing different Cd concentrations and good precision (7.6–5.2%). The method was validated by analysing four certified reference lake sediment materials: LKSD-1, LKSD-2, LKSD-3 and LKSD-4; satisfactory recoveries were obtained (90.0–96.3%) and no statistical differences were observed between the experimental and the certified cadmium concentration. The developed methodology was used to determine cadmium in three ‘real’ sediment samples from lakes in the area of Wielkopolski National Park, Poland.